Danganronpa F2: Return to Towa City
by RobertHawkinz
Summary: Five years after the events of Danganronpa 3, the world has moved on... Or so we hoped. In the darkness lurked an organization that sought to utilize killing games, not for despair... But for hope. Will these students survive long enough to expose the masterminds behind this and get rescued? Will they want to continue living by the time help arrives?
1. Prologue: In The New World

Author's Notes: For this introduction, we're using four different perspectives. The actual main character will be selected later. Any could be, though. And if anyone wants to put in their two cents, should free time events occur once a protagonist has been selected, or should that be left til post-game?

Upupupupupupupu!

A laugh rings out in the distance, giving me shivers. I heard it every time I had a nightmare, as gruesome images flashed through my mind. Those of murders, of trials, of tears...

Then that face... That awful, evil face... One eye, a lightning strike, red against the black and white mug that split down the middle, his other eye a black dot. His grin, one side horrific teeth sharpened to many points, the other lacking in sharpness but also refined.

Every word sends chills rocking through my body, and I sweat profusely, desperate to escape... I, the Ultimate Dreamer... Naoya Himura...

 **Prologue: In the New World**

I'm getting ahead of myself again, aren't I? I should probably explain more to this...

Hope's Peak Academy was an internationally-renowned Academy until the... Incident. The entire world was brought to its knees by some woman, Junko Enoshima, and her brainwashed compatriots.

That was about five years ago... _Guess we didn't solve the problem all that well if we're in this situation, though..._

Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Hope, survived the destruction of the Future Foundation and rebuilt Hope's Peak alongside his vice-principal and later wife, Kyouko Kirigiri.

I was a member of the 83rd class of Hope's Peak Academy. We were all heading our own ways there, when we were abducted. Men in strange bear-headed costumes kidnapped us and stole us away; from trains, off of planes, even from boats.

At least, so I presumed... Here I was, chained to an empty desk in an old classroom. The walls were molding, and vines grew in from the nearby windows. The place smelled musty and unwashed. I was likely in an abandoned school building, but I couldn't guess where. The windows were all boarded up by wood and giant metal plates.

If my classmates had actually been taken as well, where were they? Who did this? And why would they transport us here, to such an out of the way, abandoned locale?

I didn't feel injured. My body was just the same as it always was; lanky and taller than I'd wanted. My head hurt a bit, but that might have been when I hit my head against the bottom of the luggage racks on the bus I was traveling on.

I looked into the bottle of water I'd opened with my free hand, seeing my green eyes and small, pointed nose in the reflection. When I sighed, it shook, and my face faded into splashes as I capped the lid back on.

Then I heard the sound of a door shuffling. It was in the hallway outside this room. I tensed up. Was it another student, or one of my captors?

Footsteps echoed throughout the adjacent hallway, and a shadow was cast onto the wall to my prison, the shadow of another person that I couldn't grasp any details out from. My eyes were hurting; this was common after a nightmare.

The one detail I could make out, though, were two devil horns. Were they wearing some outfit, and if so... why?

Just then, they stopped at the door. I felt my heart pounding in my chest; my entire body screamed at me to run, to flee. But if I so much as moved my wrist, the chain would rattle, and I'd be found out. The clock ticking was audible in that painful, drawn out silence.

Clunk... Their hand gripped the side of the sliding door, and it began to move to the left as they pushed their way inside.

"I'm not trying to escape, honest!" I shouted out to my potential captor, nearly slamming my head into my desk. I wasn't the smartest boy around, that's for certain.

A loud, rambunctious, teasing voice rang out, "That's not a very good strategy, dumbass! Hahaha!"

Looking up, I realized my captor wasn't one of those bear-wearing kidnappers. She wore pink, plastic devil horns on her head, a bow with pink dots all over the white material. Her long pink hair was done in twintails, and her black blazer covered her arms. Her white blouse was covered by interweaving pink strands. Her black skirt ended with pink underlining, her stockings a light pink and a hot pink alternating in horizontal stripes down her legs. Her dark purple boots were laced with pink as well. If it wasn't for the oversaturation of the one color, I might have considered her to be cute. Adorable, even.

"What, cat got your tongue? That wouldn't be good. They say cats will eat their owners if they die. Did you leave your mouth open when you died? Say 'ahhh'!" She walked up to me and poked me in the chest, "Come on, do it..."

"N-no..." I struggled to find my words, "I...don't have a cat."

She nodded to herself, puffing her cheeks out, "So you can talk! Good; we've broken the communication barrier! Step two is to... Uh... What did Nagisa say step two was again...?"

Nagisa? Who? I shook my head. I couldn't begin to wrap my head around my situation, and she only complicated things further. "Hey... Are you a student of Hope's Peak?" I asked the million dollar question, a bead of sweat sliding down my cheek.

The girl gasped, "Whoa!? How did you know!? Are you psychic!?" She seemed excited by my obvious observation, but she continued babbling excitedly, "That's so cool! I found the Ultimate Psychic, how lucky can a girl get! Yatta!"

"I'm not..." I stopped myself short. No unnecessary details, not until I knew she was safe, "My name is Naoya. I was supposed to be a member of Hope's Peak, the 83rd class... I was on a bus, and I woke up here... What about you?"

"My name is Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress!" She cheered, while an icon appeared above her, moving to the left and right while a small beep played in the background, "Aren't you delighted to meet me!?"

I quietly silenced myself for a moment, "I'm the... Ultimate Dreamer..."

Kotoko's eyes widened before she quickly lost interest in the subject, "Oh, that's it? So you're not dangerous. Good to know..." She walked over and pulled a small metal key out, putting it in my handcuffs and unlocking them.

As I stood up and rubbed my aching hand, I asked, "Uh... Where did you get that?"

"I stole it from the guy that locked me up. I wasn't going to stay out for long. I've been drugged and kidnapped before, haha!" She said that so openly, with a gaping smile on her face... What was this girl!?

"That's... disturbing. Are you alright?" I asked, trying to gauge her true intentions.

Kotoko shook her head, "That was a long time ago, Naoya. Things have changed... Hey, we should find the others, don't you think? This place looks pretty worn down, huh? What if it collapsed on us? Haha!"

Why was she laughing at such morbid things!? "The... others? So what I feared... We're all stuck here?"

"Maybe. I've only found you so far. Let's find out, eh?" She smiled, twirling the key in her hand. It flew out of her hands and I caught it when it hit my chest, "Whoops..."

"I'll hold onto them, okay?" I offered, pleadingly.

She shrugged and turned back to the door, heading to the doorway, "Let's gooooo!"

That was how my journey with Kotoko to find our other classmates finally began...

We walked through the hallways. In the center, there was a large botanical garden with flowers running rampant. We walked around the corners and kept peering into rooms. We soon came across another door, and Kotoko burst in, "Hey, what's-"

She was cut off mid-sentence when someone grabbed her from behind, "Explain, now. Why did you kidnap me?"

I followed her in, freaking out to myself, "Wait, she's not bad!"

The guy looked up at me, his heavy black eyebrows matching his hair, which seemed unwashed and fell to either side of his head. He wore a black shirt and green camouflage pants, though he definitely wasn't well-hidden in the classrooms coated in brown wallpaper and white-tiled ceilings. His muscles were rippling as he held Kotoko by the throat, "No way! What if you're one of them, too!?"

I showed him my wrist, bruise and all, "I was handcuffed to a desk. She sprung me... Please, don't hurt us!"

The guy softened his grip, and Kotoko interjected, "You'll have to squeeze me waaaay tighter to get me to choke now... Haha!"

Sighing, he dropped her. She landed daintily on her feet and jumped over to just in between the two of us, her head moving quizzically between us.

"Name's Hiro Satoru. I'm the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter. Born in Thailand, raised in downtown Fukushima. I was intending to attend the reopened Hope's Peak Academy, but now we're in this mess," he introduced himself, and the same icon appeared, though catered to him.

"I'm Naoya Himura, Ultimate Dreamer. I... And this is..." She naturally forced her way into the conversation again.

"Kotoko Utsugi, Ultimate Actress at your service!" She grabbed for his hand and shook it wildly, all while he just glared at her, too exasperated to resist her, "I'm impressed you broke out yourself!"

Hiro sneered, "Tch. That cuff was no match for me. Now, what about the others?"

I chuckled, though it sounded disingenuous, even to me, "We were here to free the others, actually..." I held up the key, "She got it from the guards."

"And you're certain she's not in on it? Luring us into a false sense of security?" I had considered that, too, but had I left her, I'd be alone. I was terrified at the prospect, "Well?"

Looking at Kotoko, she gave me an inquisitive stare, waiting for me to answer, "N-no... I don't think she'd do that."

Hiro observed the two of us further, finally giving in, "Fine. I'll hang in the back. No one behind me. Understand?"

The two of us nodded, and we continued down the hallway.

At the end of that hallway, a figure awaited us. She was dressed in a business suit, black and white lines, her black dress shirt underneath. She was taller than Kotoko, who was just smaller than me, but she even towered over me. Hiro himself looked somewhat intimidated as he also had to look up to her, and he was at least six feet.

She had spiky, shoulder-length blond hair and red eyes, a dark crimson. Her dress shoes were black, and she wore stockings that just barely covered her socks on the bottom. Noticing us, she approached us, "So there are others. After lock picking my way out of those cuffs, I could use a drink."

Kotoko observed, "But we're high schoolers!"

"Yeah?" Pulling out a small golden lighter, she lit a cigarette from her pocket and put it in between her lips, taking a deep breath, "I need a fix every now and then..." She blew out the smoke and stepped through it, "Name's Akira Sanada. Ultimate Dancer. I've been around the block. And let me say... From what I've learned, this situation we're in isn't looking pretty."

Hiro concurred, "Agreed. This is pretty suspicious, if you ask me. Like we're in a cage match, or somethin'..."

I didn't like how he said that. Visions flashed through my head, and I gripped my forehead as pain traveled through my nerves. I stumbled a bit, barely able to keep myself from falling over.

"You okay?" Kotoko asked me, a hand on my back to steady me, "You look pale."

"I'm... I'm fine. Sometimes my dreams... They make me ill. I have a bad feeling in my gut right now..." I admitted to my three comrades.

Akira shrugged it off, "Don't worry too much, kid. We have our way out," She pointed to the exit sign above the hallway passage she just came from, "Big red oak doors. Perhaps the front door to this place. We can get out through there."

Hiro folded his arms, "That so?"

Akira turned back, unamused by his suspicious activity, "Yeah, I did scouting. Didn't just wait and hide to attack strangers like you did. That how you became Champion? Strangling unsuspecting girls?"

Hiro raised his fist, "What'd you say, bitch!?"

"Do you have hearing aids, too? Let's get on with this before things get ugly..." Taking another long drag off of her cigarette, we continued following her out to the oak doors. We didn't yet know our fate was about to change, once and for all.

If we had, I think we might have chosen never to open those doors. At least, I'd like to think that... But in truth, none of us were willing to give up, to say die... And that would be the catalyst for the greatest trials we'd ever face...

 **-?'s POV-**

Where was I...? I remember being on a train, looking out the window. I was writing down all the birds and animals I'd been observing. The world had been so full of life, so beautiful. And now I was alone, my leg chained to a large metal ball, leaving me in a chair in some scary abandoned building. It was a school; I deducted as much from the rows of desks arranged in the familiar setting. Hope's Peak wouldn't have degraded this much. So where was I?

My name is Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist! I don't use my talent often, though. Instead, I try to be a detective like my great-grandmother! I have adorable short black hair that reaches far behind me. My black eyes and small nose don't stand out, and I'm not nearly as gifted as some of my female classmates... Sigh. But I'm spunky and I'll outrun, outpace them any day! I've been told I have more energy than puppies! Wait, that's not important right now...

I needed to find a way out of here! Especially considering my uniform... I wore a white blazer with my old school's insignia on it. My great-grandmother went there, too. Her clothes were too stained and worn, but I was even her same size. My skirt didn't bother me; there were no breezes in these hallways.

Just then, a sound from the hallway grabbed my attention. Then I heard it again. It was as if a door was being slammed into. The third time, dust rose from the hallway, obscuring my view of the garden through the small window. And then I saw a figure running down the hallway. They reached my door and burst through the doorway, "Breach and clear!"

A man with black hair in strands covering his face and grizzled features glared at me from the doorway. He had a blue suit on, a red tie, and white shirt underneath. His nose was short and blocky, but the attitude he carried with enthralled me.

"Excuse me... My name is Kojiro Keigo. I am... was a policeman. And you are?" He asked, walking over to me cautiously, a baton in hand.

I tried to stand up and showed him my chain when I nearly fell over, "Shiori... Shiori Tojiko. My last name is actually Tokorizoka, but everyone just says Tojiko-chan instead..."

Kojiro lowered his gaze and nodded, "Alright. I don't have anything too useful, but a nail file might cut through that. It's not as new as it looks. Like they coated it in paint to make us feel intimidated trying to break it." He handed me the file, and I started cutting through the chains on my ankle.

"Thanks... You're an Ultimate, right?" I asked him, wanting to know his super cool talent as fast as he would say.

"Police officer... I told you... They said I was the best, but it... it never feels that way..." He said this with a grim tone, but I picked up on his words more than his delivery.

Finally sawing through the last of the rusty chain, I started on the bracelet around my ankle, "Really!? Are you like a detective!?"

Kojiro shook his head, "Can't reveal classified information."

"Please..." I begged, giving him the best puppy dog eyes I could manage as I handed him his nail file back.

"Absolutely not," He barked, standing up as he placed the file back on his person, "I've been clearing every room. You're the first person I found. I suspect we're each being held in a room, one per hallway. Four per wing, since this is a square..."

My eyes sparkled, "You figured all that out so fast!? You really are a detective!"

Kojiro sighed, shaking his head, "I need my morning coffee... Stay behind me, kid. Our captors could still be anywhere, and I won't have you taking any risks. You hear me?

I saluted him, "Loud and clear, Senior Detective Sensei!"

"Don't call me that," he said, a serious tone as he started walking into the next hallway, "Let's continue."

I followed Detective Keigo-Sensei further down the halls, entering each room quietly and stealthily, except for when I opened the janitor closet and a mop fell towards me. I screamed so loud before he grabbed my mouth and shushed me, like a good detective would.

Eventually, we rounded a corner and found two men walking towards us. One was holding his wrist, handcuffs holding them together, "This is really starting to chafe..."

Keigo-Sensei approached them, pulling out his badge, "Stop, police. Identify yourselves, now."

The boy on the left started, "Mario Nobutsuna. Ultimate Cartographer. Not that my talent is worth much when the whole world's been explored... or still in ruins," he spat to the floor, quite disgusting and uncouth of him. He wore a blue jean jacket that seemed too large for him, and his dirty blonde hair reached down to his back. He had a slightly effeminate face, but his body type and voice assured me that he was in fact a man. He glared at me when I looked over him, "Keep your eyes to yourself, princess. Last time someone said I was pretty for a boy..."

The other boy had short black hair and a black eye to match. He was rubbing his face under his pupil, desperate for the swelling to subside. He was a bit stocky, but nothing too noticeable. He wasn't breathing hard, so they must have worked it out. Maybe? He wore a grey sweatshirt, unzipped to show off his 'I like traps' shirt.

Before I could ask, he cut me off, "Ryuu Nomoya. I'm the Ultimate Game Designer... And this is my joke shirt. I wear it when I'm designing Dread Souls IV: B-Team's Best Bullshit."

"You like Dread Souls!?" I exclaimed. Then I realized how annoyed both of our companions looked, "Oh, right... No yelling."

Sensei must have been thankful I quieted myself, "Mario, Ryuu. If we're not in danger, I'm bringing you both in for questioning. Assault is a crime, and it will not be tolerated on my watch, understand?"

Mario scoffed, "You and what army, police dick?"

He stepped forward, placing his hand out, "Calm yourself, civilian. I don't wish to scuffle now. We have no idea who captured us or why. Come over here. I'll file through your handcuffs."

Ryuu mouthed 'Thank you' but Mario held fast, "Get over here and make me! I just realized... He's my ticket outta here!" Mario grabbed Ryuu and held him in a full nelson, "Don't move or I'll snap his arms, I tell ya!"

I grabbed the nail file from Kojiro's pocket without him noticing, "Then let me! I won't betray you... I'm too weak. You can even use me as a hostage... Instead."

Sensei glared at me, daggers flying towards me, but Mario smirked, "Fine... I'll accept that trade."

Slowly, I walked over in his direction, hands outstretched above me to prove I would make no sudden moves. And when I was near enough, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. As I filed through the handcuffs, I asked, "So, Mario... Please... Don't hurt him. He didn't mean to. Right?"

Ryuu grumbled something about meaning it next time, but I guess Mario didn't hear that, "I'll do what I want." The second the handcuffs released from his hand, he grabbed me. The file dropped to the floor, and Ryuu scrambled for it, beginning to saw his own off.

With me held tightly, Mario started walking down the hallway with Kojiro and Ryuu in sight. As we hit the corner. I stomped down on his big toe. I was hoping he'd see reason, but now I had to act. I drove my elbow into his stomach and launched my steel-toed boot into his crotch, sending him to the floor.

Sensei reached him in mere seconds and handcuffed him again, behind his back, "You're under arrest for assault in the first degree, taking a hostage, attempting to bribe a police officer, attempted kidnapping on two counts, and evading arrest. We'll get you to the nearest station, understand?"

I walked up to Sensei, who ordered Mario to march at the head of the pack. He grabbed me and pulled me aside, "Did you like that?"

"This is my job. I am the officer here. You will not endanger yourself like that again. Do you understand me?" He said sternly, never talking so seriously in my short time with him.

"...Yes, Keigo-Sensei..." He growled when I said that, but didn't correct me this time. I mentally celebrated as Ryuu caught up to me, holding his wrist, "Are you okay?"

Ryuu shrugged, "Hey, could be worse. We could be trying to kill each other... Haha... Ha... Sorry. Bad joke. Ancient Dragon's return messed me up."

I nodded, "Right... That. Good thing I clipped through the ground. Can't hit me from down there."

"Gods damn it! They said that was patched!" Ryuu nearly punched the wall in anger, but controlled himself,

At the end of the hallway we found two red doors made of what might have been mahogany. I'm not a woodsman, just so you know.

Keigo-Sensei pointed to the door, "Open it, Mario. Slowly."

Mario cursed under his breath about the damn pigs and slowly pushed the doors open, revealing to us our next great mystery...

 **-?'s POV-**

I awoke in a shower... What the hell? Why a shower? Wait, no, just fantasizing again...

I actually came to... Hehe... In a classroom. I was bound by rope. I bit at the rope in my mouth and tried to spit it out, but I couldn't move my body. I was tied up quite tightly, the rope putting pressure on my chest. It was a sight boys might kill for...

My name is Honoka Asai, and I am a producer of eroge. You heard me; I produce all the lewd games. I write the scripts, draw the characters, create the animations, script the program, and even provide my own voice acting talents. I've also had experience with being tied up, and I reached into my back pocket with my tied left hand to grab a small knife I had per pocket, just in case. As I slowly cut through the bindings on my hands and started freeing myself one rope knot at a time, I wondered if I could start my next game like this. It was terrifying for me, sure... but it was also exhilarating.

The last of the bindings hit the floor and I finally got up, only to fall onto the table. Right. My legs had been bound to each leg of the chair. Whoever did this must have enjoyed it... I cut the last rope and finally got up, dusting myself off.

I ran a hand through my red hair. It wasn't crimson, just middle ground red. I was wearing what I had on when I was on the boat; a red miniskirt that showed off my stockings and my light blue blouse. I shook my legs a bit to return the feeling to my extremities and headed to the doorway.

Should I clean this up? Eh, we pay a janitor for that, don't we?

Looking around my new environment, I casually headed down the hall, observing the broken windows. There were no sounds, none that stood out to me. How...droll.

I heard some muffled noises coming from a classroom in the second hallway and opened the door slowly. And I found my jackpot.

A girl with long, blue, beautiful hair was bound to a desk, just like me. The muffled noises were her screaming through the tightly bound rope and struggling to break free from their confinement. I smirked to myself before breaking out in shock, "Oh, you poor thing! I'll help you out!"

I ran to her side and used my handy knife to cut through the rope binding her head back. As it fell, she could finally speak, "T-thank you... My name is Kicho. Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager."

"I'm the Ultimate Game Producer, Honoka Asai..." It technically wasn't a lie, "I specialize of course, but I'm notorious for my quality."

"Nice to meet you. Will you please untie me now?" She asked, her beautiful purple eyes fixated on me. She wore a long white dress, but it was ruffled by the red rope binding her down. I could trace every curve of her right now, but... Hands do so much more than just my eyes, right?

I chuckled, "Maybe I just wanted to hear you resist."

She eyed me, not with fear or disgust, but anticipation, "Is that so? I would be rude to not ensure a good show if you've gone to this trouble for me..."

If I were a weaker-willed woman, that might have... Oh shit, nose bleeding. Fuck! I turned around and stuffed my nose with a tissue. Turning back around, I smirked, "I'll untie you now."

"Oh? How... unfortunate. I was willing to experience something...new," she said seductively, practically eroding any control I had over myself.

Right as I moved to caress her succulent body, the door behind me opened, and a fierce looking girl with a fang peeking out from her left side of her mouth stepped into the room. She was small, lithe, and her toned abs showed because her shirt was only covering above her belly button, "Stop right there!"

I sighed to myself, cursing my awful luck, "I was kidding... Mostly. Probably."

The girl stepped forward. She had slightly darker skin than us, a slight tanned look, and her arms and legs were stronger, thicker than ours in muscles. Good thing I liked strong girls, too...

Taika-Chan, as I would affectionately refer to from here on, agreed, "Yes, we were making the best of a bad situation."

"Unless you'd join us..." I offered, mostly kidding.

"Aya Nakajima, Ultimate Football Player. And none of that shall occur on my watch, got it!?" She sprayed us both with a bottle on hand, "I broke out through sheer will and determination, but I knew I had to save the others, too!"

I cut through the remainder of Taika's bondage rope and hid my knife away, "There? Taika-Chan... May I call you that?" She nodded, "Taika-Chan and I weren't doing anything wrong. And we were both merely teasing the other. Just a mind game, I promise."

Taika whispered to me, "I wasn't kidding... Hmhmhm."

Alright, Honoka-chan! Operation Lose Aya and Get Laid Go!

"Aya-chan... Did you find them?" In walked classmate number four. He was a pale dude, square glasses on his face. He had a small frame, and didn't look intimidating in the slightest. He wore a white shirt and black slacks, the most basic thing imaginable, "...Uh... Hi. Taka. Taka Suzuha. Ultimate Academic Prodigy..."

Great. A doormat guy... Why couldn't I get some enthralling tough guy? I'd settle for a nerdy mangaka artist, at this point... Sigh.

"Honoka Asai, Ultimate Game Producer. Taika-chan, first name Kicho, is the Ultimate Store Manager. She's good with money and organization, right?" She nodded, "And you know Aya. The party pooper."

Aya blushed, "Wh-what!? I was just obeying school rules!"

"Who would know we broke the rules, Aya?" I walked up to her, giving her a sly smirk, "I won't tell if you don't..."

Aya started blushing even more, so she turned around, "Hurry! We found a way out, but wanted to clear these rooms first!"

Perfect... She was one of those kinds of girls, hehe. I'd love teasing her.

The four of us girls (I know what I said) eventually made it to two large doors, made of what appeared to be iron. Aya pushed them, but when they refused to budge, she got a running start and drop kicked them open. And that was when my hellish paradise truly would begin...

 **-?'s POV-**

Ow, my achin' head... Where am I?

I was in a chair in a classroom. I guess? I don't know man... This is weird, though. I was just on a plane, enjoying my burritos los tacos from Burrito Ding, and next thing you know... Ah, man... Where's my food?

Someone stole my food, but I wasn't held here against my will at least. Now I had to get up... and leave. Bummer.

Introductions? What a bust... My name is Sho. Sho Takeda, Ultimate Volunteer. You may be thinking... I don't do that often. I go with what I like... And I like cats. And dogs.

And seals. And people, too. Mostly the homeless. And the hungry... I volunteer for them.

Anyways... Just have to... Ugh! Get up... Okay, now for the door... Step, step, step... And the door slides open. Not locked. Nice. I don't have to rig a trap to open it again.

The hallway was... like... Dark. Not like what I imagined it would be... Was it because I was thinking of sleeping again? No way, maaan...

I started walking down the hallway towards my final destination. Or was it next? Uh... I get it confused, haha. Best not to sweat it, though.

I reared a corner and nearly slammed into somebody. They jumped back and raised their arms in self-defense, but I just chilled out against the wall, "Sup, dude?"

The girl was short and frightened. She had long orange hair and a notebook in her right arm clutched to her chest. She was wearing blue jeans, a purple belt, a yellow blouse with frills near the bottom going around in a circumferential fashion, and she had a small gold ring on her right finger, index.

"D-don't come any closer!" She shrieked out, terrified.

"...I wasn't planning on that, dude..." I said, smirking. I didn't think I looked scary. I wore a black sweatshirt,a white shirt stained by many a pepperoni or sausage pizza, and my tightest dress pants. I could slide right out of them into bed... Or not. I usually forgot. Ha...

She looked me over for a moment, "Who are you?"

"Sho Takeda, duuuude..." I admitted, hating this part, "Can you tell the others for me? I need sleep..."

She ran to my side and checked my forehead, "Sho, are you sick? Were you feeling like this before? How's your body? Your temperature?"

I stepped back, "Woah, man. I'm... okay. Just a bit... loopy, nyaha! I'll get back into it after a while... I charge slowly... Like a bunny battery..."

Not understanding my drift, she introduced herself, "Michi-no Cheisa. Call me Michi-chan if you'd like."

"Sure thing... Michi-chan," I said it slowly, to memorize that for later. Girls hated when I said the wrong names to them. My last girlfriend hit me and dumped me... Sucks that I call mom by her first name, but what are you gonna do?

And that was how... Michi-chan and I... joined up. She didn't mention her talent, oddly enough. Said she analyzes old documents. Did she say genie? Genealogist? Yeah, that... Haha! I always get them mixed up. Jafar ain't no genealogist...

Eventually... We found a guy. He was... in a business suit. Looked professional. Slicked back black hair, black shades. Not very tall. He wore a small chain around his neck. Had a cross. Was cool, man. Should have been there.

"I am Narutoya Nobunaga. I'm a telemarketer. I'm the Ultimate Telemarketer, that's all. I get sales, guaranteed. It's mind numbing at this point, but it pays..." he explained himself, and I nodded in understanding.

Michi-chan shook his hand and introduced me. I waved.

Narutoya sighed, "He's not a bright one, is he?"

"Says the guy dressed like a multi billionaire. Tell me how telemarketing, a job that usually pays dead ass minimum wage, gets you that mad cash? Methinks you're lying to Michi-chan and I. And Sho don't do liars. Or manual labor. Get that straight, fam."

Michi turned to me, eyes wide, "You can speak normally?"

I shrugged, "Gotta feel it, man."

Narutoya adjusted his shades, and i saw his cold eyes as he observed me, "You are more than meets the eye, young Sho. I'll be sure to remember that."

And that was how the three of us became...life partners. Or wait, no... That sounds weird... Right! We became companions... Yeah... Except not werewolves this time...

Then we met a second guy. He was uh... Awkward, too. Had glasses, a history book. A hoodie, kinda like me, but it was cleaner... Not stained. Had a shirt with that one anime... Twelve Piece. Sponsored by WcDonalds... Normal jeans, ripped at the knees. A short mustache, and somewhat nasally. Dude got a cold day one. Sucks to be him, am I right?

Ryoji Iwasaki was his name. Ultimate Archaeologist. Had a fear of snakes. Not much else to say.

And the four of us found these doors. Big. Red. Smelled like redwood trees. Narutoya pushed them open. And the other side... I wondered... Who did this? You wouldn't believe what happens next. We opened the door, and the unthinkable happened. Narutoya walked inside, but what he did next would shock you.

Read more... In the next chapter... Hah.

 **-Naoya's POV-**

Twelve other people entered this room from the other three doors. It was a large open room with a giant monitor hanging above us. The screen was dark. The room darkened as every light went off and a spotlight centered on the screen.

"Upupupupupupupupupu! Guess who's baaaaaack?" The annoying, nasally voice tore at me. I heard it in my ears, and in my nightmares.

Monokuma appeared on the screen. Fuck me, but hadn't we all had enough by now!?

"Welcome, Hope's Peak Class of 83! Are you excited!? To attend the best school around the world is such an honor!"

Hiro shouted, "What!? Fuck that! Why'd you trap us here!?"

Monokuma smirked, "Trapped you? In Towa City? I'd never... Upupupu! You see, I'm not the one who set this game up. I'm just a lonely animatronic bear... But someone found me... Restarted me... And lured you all here. Which means... I get to play another game!"

He started laughing insanely, like it was the funniest joke he'd ever told.

"You damn bear!" Some girl with red hair shouted, "I have games to make myself, you selfish meanie!"

"So... There are sixteen handbooks. One for each of you. Find yours, and take it. You'll need it. All of Towa City is at your fingertips. The ruins, anyways... Although one of you is certainly much more familiar than the others... Right, Despair?" He laughed to himself giddily.

Some businessman removed his glasses, "You mean one of us is in that awful organization a few years back... That nearly ended the world?"

Monokuma nodded, "Gladly. They killed hundreds with their bare hands... And spoke proudly of it to their four little friends... Oh, but then things changed. Now, I'm not here for Hope or Despair... That old battle was played out. No, we're here about legacy. About our future..."

"Whatever do you mean?" Some short, thin man adjusted his square glasses through his weak, shaking voice, "You're just endangering our future!"

"The world was an awful place before Junko. Sure, people suffered. They died. But now the world's right as rain. I began to wonder... Could these games be inspiring young people to succeed? To chase their dreams fully? To realize our potential!? Well, many others wondered this, too, and that's why you're here. This is an... experiment. To see if we can create a utopia... A true paradise... Through murder!"

"That's insane!" Hiro shouted back at the top of his lungs.

Monokuma's eye flashed, "Perhaps... We'll find out, won't we? What's the cost of ten, twelve, maybe fifteen lives... If the world becomes a better place? Upupu... Consider this a second chance... To reach what you always strived for... Covered in the blood of friends and foe alike!"

The businessman adjusted his glasses, "A social experiment lacking morals. These handbooks... They will have maps. They will be key cards. They will grant us limited access to the city. And they will administer the rules for your game, correct?"

"Exactly! There are... other surprises in store, but they will come when they need to! So get ready... We're gonna have motives and traps... It's going to be the best killing game we've ever had... sponsored by Towa Corporation itself!"

And the screen shut off, and the sixteen of us all looked back and forth at each other. This was unreal... Right?

...I felt afraid. Not because we'd be getting murdered, not because I might be betrayed... I feared what my dreams would become in this nightmare we'd entered into...


	2. Prologue 2: City Limits

Author's Note: Yet to decide on a protagonist, I've decided to give everyone the protagonist treatment for now... Once everyone's had a turn, the prologue ends, and the game begins...

 **-Shiori's POV-**

One by one, we each grabbed our handbooks. It contained an interactive map of Towa City. I could zoom in, mark important locales, and found questions marks all over the place. One was nearby, in a cafe. The map depicted the place as destroyed, broken into, glass shards everywhere.

It had a list of the sixteen students I was with. Names, and whatever information I knew was added. I had a section to jot down notes, a page for truth bullets, whatever that was, a pet simulator, and finally, the rules. The rules that would dictate our life here for the next... However long we'd be here.

Rule 1: Students may reside inside the city limits of Towa City. Any attempt to leave will trigger a bracelet, found on your right ankle, to detonate, killing you. Any attempt to interfere with or break the bracelet will cause you to be reprimanded, and if repeated, punished.

I noticed it, gripping my leg tightly, just loose enough for me to not be overtly cognizant over it.

Rule 2: Night Time is designated as 10PM to 7AM. Some areas are inaccessible at certain times, whether at night or during the day. Act accordingly to make the most of your environment.

Rule 3: Sleeping anywhere other than the hotel or another 'designated sleeping space' will be seen as sleeping in class and perpetrators will be punished accordingly.

Rule 4: With minimal restrictions, you are all free to explore Towa City to your discretion. Some areas may require keys or a certain number of survivors left before it will unlock. Please explore to make the best use of your environment. It will be pertinent info if you're being chased down.

Rule 5: Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras. Engage the surviving Monokuma Bots patrolling some locales at your own risk.

Rule 6: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.

Rule 7: If a murder occurs, once the third person that isn't the killer discovers the body, the Body Discovery Announcement will play. If no one finds the body, no trial will be had until it is discovered. Even if the mastermind is killed in action, all murders must have a trial to accompany them. No exceptions will be given.

Rule 8: Once the body has been discovered, 24 hours will be given to roam the pertinent areas to discover clues and gather information. The time is extended due to the larger size of this game. This will hopefully make things more fun, right?!

I grimaced at the inner dialogue in my head when I heard that bear say that word for word, smiling unnervingly at me all the while.

Rule 9: After the time period has passed, everyone will be summoned to the trial grounds in city hall. There, a debate will be held. If the Blackened is voted correctly, they and they alone will be executed. If you pick the wrong person, though, everyone except the Blackened will be killed, and they will be allowed to go free.

Rule 10: The city is littered with information pertinent to your being here. If you want to solve the mystery and out the mastermind amongst you and the people behind this, search everywhere. Life isn't a game, but it's not fun for those who don't play.

Rule 11: Motives will be given out during certain intervals. Some will be time limits. Some will feature rewards. Others will give participants something more valuable than life or money...

Rule 12: The city contains traps, enemies, useful info, and more. Be aware of your surroundings. Nobody wants to have a friend die because they triggered a trap and not in a heart-pounding murder and execution.

Rule 13: IMPORTANT! The groups you started in may matter. At other times, you may be forced to organize yourselves into other groups. Keep careful note of this in your notes section. Additionally, any information you gather will be updated to your handbook automatically. If your friend gives you their handbook key number which changes after usage, you can friend them and get updates from them, too. Use this to monitor each other's health... or track them down. Your discretion is advised.

Rule 14: More rules will be added either as the game progresses, or as Monokuma deems fit. Trying to circumvent any of these rules will result in punishment.

This was definitely not the games of old. I'd heard rumors, of course. I think everyone did. But this was much more real, much more terrifying than just hearing about it. The looks on all of our faces confirmed how we felt about this.

Kojiro spoke up, as expected of Detective Sensei, "First off, we need someone to investigate the cafe. There's a question mark there, and this map suggests it's important. Second; we should split into groups. There are several different venues near us we could get to. Any questions?"

Mario asked, "Can I not get jailed for now?"

Kojiro nodded, "Yes, Mario. Please..." he put the key into his handcuffs and let him out of them, "Don't be rash. I don't like this, either."

"You and me both..." he said under his breath.

Ryuu started, "Split up? I mean, I guess. Hey, you," he pointed to a guy with a hoodie and an anime shirt on, short black hair and glasses, a budding mustache on his lips, "Name?"

"Ryoji. Ryoji Iwasaki, Ultimate Archaeologist." He held out his hand, and the two shook on it. Our handbooks beeped, and Ryoji's data was updated.

Some guy with flaming orange hair spoke slowly, "So this does... Should we all, like, introduce ourselves? I'm Sho Takeda, the Ultimate... Uh. Volunteer. My interests are walking on the beach at night, reading, and uh... Sleeping, I guess?"

A darker-skinned man wearing green pants and a plain black shirt which matched his messy black hair interrupted, "Shut it, dumbass! It's an introduction, not a fuckin' dating profile. Hiro Satoru. Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter. Don't fuck with me, I won't fuck with you. Leave those nasty bots to me!"

A tan girl chimed in, smiling as she cheered, "Same goes for me! Aya Nakajima, Ultimate Football Star at your service!"

"All this beeping is giving me a damned headache..." The businessman adjusted his collar, "Narutoya Nobunaga. The Ultimate Telemarketer. I'm not particularly fond of my work history, but I don't want to die here, either," He didn't sound that interested in us, but it was a start to say the least.

A girl, a cavalcade of different colours, her orange hair shining in the sunlight that peeked down on us in that room, announced herself, "My n-name is Michi no Cheisu... I'm uh... The Ultimate-"

Sho interrupted her, "Ultimate Stalker. She's been chasing me since we arrived. It's quite a pain to have to deal with this, but I'll endure it for you guys."

Michi looked up at Sho, but he smirked, nodding to her, "Don't lie to them again. I saw your handbook."

Michi sighed, "Sho... That's not nice..."

The smaller boy amongst us adjusted his glasses, wiping the sweat off of them with a small rag he had in his shirt pocket, "Taka Suzuha. Ultimate Academic Prodigy... I think it's blown to proportion, but I'll do what I can to help."

"Mario Nobutsuna. Ultimate Cartographer. I'm not here for games," He gave everyone a noncommittal wave, looking uncomfortable at being the center of attention, "Q-quit your staring!"

A girl with red hair approached him at lightning speed, a snide grin on her face, "I know... Mario. I see all."

Mario stepped back, afraid, "W-what?" He was scared of her, but not a police officer? Not the best?

"Honoka Asai, Ultimate Game Producer, at your service. My interests are cute girls, hot boys, and long nights watching anime... Hopefully, there'll be enough here to sate me..." She grinned at some tired-looking boy and the pink-haired girl beside him.

A beautiful woman with long, blue hair spoke up, "Kicho Taika. Ultimate Store Manager... I'll do my b-best, so please... Be gentle with me."

"So...cute..." Ryoji said just audible to my lightning hearing. Hehe, get it? 'Cause I'm a meteorologist? Oh, right!

I stepped forward, "I'm Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist! I'm also Keigo-Sensei's valued disciple!"

Kojiro sighed, shaking his head, hands to his browline before he added, "Kojiro Keigo, Ultimate Police Officer. She's nothing of the sort."

"Hey, I helped! I can do the job, Sensei!" I pleaded with him, unfortunately causing another scene.

"This is not the time nor place," Kojiro rebuttaled, giving me a glare.

I felt hope spring forth from my chest as my eyes sparkled, "So we'll talk later!? Yaaay!"

Kojiro shook his head in exasperation.

The girl covered in pink from head to tail...? She had a small devil tail, though it looked a bit too real to be just plastic... She went next, "Hey, everyone! My name is-"

The boy beside her placed a hand over her mouth, "Hey! Don't go causing a fuss again!:

She looked to him, and asked, "What do you mean?"

The boy glanced at a blonde woman next to him and to Hiro, "Miss Ko here is under my careful watch. She is the Ultimate Actress, and I am hers, the Ultimate Servant. Unlike a butler or maid, I do not cook or clean. I serve her every whim, no matter how ridiculous."

The girl, Ko, smiled, "Really, Naoya-kun!? Yaaay!" She jumped up and down in joy, "Can you get me a drink? I'm parched!"

Naoya nodded, "Come with me, my fair lady..." He waved to the door, and the two headed outside towards the cafe just across the street.

The guy who asked Ryoji spoke up, "Ryuu Nomoya. Ultimate Game Designer."

Honoka ran up to him, "What's that, mate? Stealing my stick!? I can do more than design a game, you bloody wanker!"

"Why are you speaking like that?" He deadpanned, looking her into the eyes as the two blankly stared at each other.

"Spent some time in London, that's all. And Boston... And York, but that was... uh..." She trailed off, "So who's left? I have fifteen spots filled in here."

The blonde woman who towered over all of us, pulled the cigarette from her mouth and exhaled softly, "Akira Sanada, Ultimate Dancer. Anyone ask for a strip tease and I'll cut you down myself."

"But are you good at that?" Honoka asked sincerely.

"I will not confirm or deny..." Akira said, her face a little flushed.

Kojiro regained our attention by loudly coughing over us, "We'll split into four groups of four again. Shiori and I will join with Naoya and Ko."

Ryuu sighed, "Ryoji, let's go... With... uh..."

Aya jumped over to them, "I volunteer as tribute!"

Honoka pushed towards Ryuu, "We're not finished here. I'm following you to prove my skill."

"Do what you want," Ryuu said earnestly, "I feel safer with a pervert like you. You won't murder me... Probably..."

"Good luck with that..." Ryoji laughed to himself. Aya pouted at him, and he apologized, "Not funny, got it. Let's go."

Akira adjusted her collar, "Anyone with me? Need to hit up a bar..."

Narutoya shook his head, "Such an uncouth woman... I'll go."

"I know her. I'll stick with her," Hiro added. The three of them walked out, followed by Taka.

"Deal?" Honoka asked Ryuu, who nodded. Honoka slyly smiled, "Alright!"

"Tch. You can't compete with me on this. My experience is extensive. I just made Hypertension Neptunia! If I can make a punny pudding platformer, I can handle a game like that," Ryuu smirked confidently.

Ryoji raised a single finger, "I might be an archaeologist, but even I can't dig up your chances on winning here."

Sho shrugged, "Kichi... Mario. Want to... go? I'm sure Michi here... will follow us to the... ends of the earth, haha..."

Michi said nothing, watching them from behind a pillar. She had certainly settled into her new position amongst us. Maybe Sho had sold her out...

Kojiro asked, "Kid? We're heading out."

I cheered to myself and followed him outside, "Yes, Sensei!" We burst out through the door to the sunlit streets. I knew it was going to be a fun adventure with Sensei at my side!

 **-Kojiro's POV-**

The blasted girl kept following me as we opened the large doorways and exited into the street. The entire city was largely in ruins; not the abandoned, destroyed kind. No; instead, large amounts of buildings were broken off into pieces, but the streets were mostly unblocked and only halfway clogged with broken cars and glass shards everywhere.

The two we were meeting up with; Naoya was suspicious. Interrupting Ko like that immediately set off alarm bells. What was he doing? Covering for her? What was it they were hiding? Sho did the same, but by the look of Michi, I recognize her. She's a forensic expert, a legend in my line of work. I understood keeping that a secret; a murderer would certainly target her outright. Ko, however... An actress. I'd never seen a movie she was in. The industry was still reeling from the destruction caused by Despair... So then why did she seem familiar to me? As a police officer, that's not a good sign; to be recognizable by face and outfit alone.

Before I could draw any conclusions, my line of thought was again interrupted by my spirited compatriot, "Sensei, what are you thinking about? You have this stiff, contemplative face on! Like this, see?" She started making faces at me, switching between different styles. Did I really look like that?

"Shiori, I'm not here to play babysitter. This is a serious investigation. If you don't act more serious, I'm sending you back." I threatened, giving her a warning.

"Sensei..." she frowned, "Okay..."

I sighed. Why did I care? "I'm not angry with you. I just want you to be safe. I've lost enough friends in my line of duty. I'm not making mistakes here."

Shiori's eyes widened, and she exclaimed with glee, "You think I'm a friend!? Really, Keigo-Sensei!?"

"It's Kojiro," I grumbled, lightly tapping her on the head, "Now come on. The cafe's waiting on us, and I'd rather not keep them waiting all day."

We walked to the cafe's entrance in silence. Shiori's face turned white, and I held her steady as I moved the door with my free hand. Broken glass was everywhere, but blood stained the wall just behind the register. A phone, the tone still ringing out, was on the floor by the landline receiver it came from.

"This is..." I turned, giving Shiori a confident look, "Stay here. If anything happens, scream. Okay?" She nodded, and I turned the corner.

In the middle of the destroyed dining cafe, I saw tables overturned. Bodies were strewn about, blood smearing the walls and floors, spatters and claw marks alike. Several destroyed robots, looking just like that bear, were broken in piles here and there. Naoya was clutching his head, a bit of bile on his shoes and the floor in front of him. Ko was holding him steady to keep him from falling. She noticed me and spoke, "Police man... Kojiro, sir... I think Naoya is sick."

"Naoya... I have questions for you." He slowly stood up and turned to face me, aided by the girl, "You cut Ko off. I have reason to believe you're not the Ultimate Servant. You're covering for her. I want to know why."

Naoya's eyes shot open, but he tried to hide it, "I'm not covering... She is Ko, the Actress!"

"Her full name. Now," I demanded. I had a feeling I might already know. However, I needed Naoya to say it. I had to know if I could trust him.

"...I just... If others knew, they might... blame her," he said to himself, "Kotoko. Kotoko Utsugi."

Kotoko nodded, "...Yeah, that's the one you might be thinking off, Koji." She didn't seem upset or betrayed, just accepting, "A former Warrior of Hope herself..."

Damn it. I knew it. I turned away from them, placing my hand on my chin. Yes, the Fighter of the Warriors of Hope... That being said, the fact they let her into the Academy knowing this... Damn it, that new headmaster is too soft... He would have spared Junko herself, they said... Looks like that might not be far from the truth after all.

"I won't tell the others," I announced, deciding to make a deal with them instead, "But I want her handbook linked to mine. I will monitor her, and she can't follow me. Is that acceptable?"

Naoya opened his mouth to argue, but Kotoko stopped him, "It's alright, Naoya. He's just doing his job..." She sounded sorrowful, but she walked over and showed me the code. I entered it into my handbook and her icon popped up. Additional information appeared on my handbook; likely her memories from when she was in the city five or so years ago. She may have even been here more recently.

"Naoya... Friend her, too. And Kotoko, him too." They both looked at me confused, "If Naoya's monitoring you, I can be trusted not to try and harm her. And since you two seem friendly already, why not?" My real motive was simple; two people monitoring Kotoko, and, should I have to capture them, I could trace Kotoko back to him. Two birds with one stone. They did what I asked, "And don't tell anyone you did this. Someone might and very well could use your handbooks to track the others. This is a safety net for us. We can't allow it to be discovered by anyone."

"Yeah, that'd be bad!" Shiori shouted out from behind me, "Kojiro? Why is your vein showing again? Are you angry or something?"

I shook my head, "Tojiko, swap with me. If you want to be my junior detective, we should be sharing information ourselves, too."

She nodded and we exchanged our friend data. With that being done, I turned to Naoya and Kotoko, "Now, Shiori and I won't tell anyone about this. Kotoko, you keep your last name to yourself. For now, we need to keep our group working together. So any ideas?"

Kotoko offered, "Well, there's piles of rubble all throughout the streets. We used to avoid them by going underground. Masaru and I would play in the subways below the streets whenever we got the chance."

"And killed the innocent?" I bitterly added. She avoided my gaze, staring at the floor in shame, "Excuse me if I don't trust you so readily, Utsugi. You of all people should understand how hard it is to trust a Warrior of Hope. After all, your former leader is likely the cause of our imprisonment."

Shiori raised her hand as if we were in class, "But Sensei, who's that?"

Kotoko answered, "Monokuma said Towa Corporation was involved. Monaca Towa was the leader of the Warriors of Hope. She used us... Manipulated us... Created the robots you see all around us. If we could get to the old tower, she might be behind this, too... I'd hate to think that, but she's likely the culprit."

"Then we have a suspect to work with," I wrote this down in my handbook, "Haiji Towa might have information on her location. No idea where he is, if the underground base fell... So how do we get to Towa Tower?"

Kotoko pointed down the road, "The subway systems have a path there. The sewer in the cemetery used to. I don't remember where that is, though..."

Naoya was thinking to himself. Finally, he chimed in, "Where's the nearest subway entrance?"

"Back through the alleyway. There's some subways near the old hospital. If they're not blocked up, that is..." Kotoko answered, but she didn't sound too confident.

Shiori cheered, "Let's go, then! Exploration!"

She grabbed Kotoko's hand, and the two headed off. I turned to Naoya as we followed to the back, "And you. No more lying, not without discussing it first. If you want to protect your friend, fine, but don't go doing your own thing."

"Understood, sir... Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, kid. There's worse things you could do," I answered confidently, putting a lollipop in my mouth, "Want one? They're watermelon..."

Naoya shook his head, "No thanks."

I laughed, "Suit yourself."

The four of us made our way to the subways. I hoped they'd give us some answers... Monaca Towa... Was she responsible for this, too?

 **-Mario's POV-**

This was a bunch of bullshit. Sho here couldn't hold a conversation, Michi was just shadowing us from an uncomfortable distance the entire time, and Kicho didn't speak often. She kept looking around us, taking in the environment like a security camera.

"So where the fuck we going?" I asked, impatient.

Kicho offered, "Perhaps the hotel would be a good starting location. Knowing where we'll rest our heads would be a lift off of our shoulders."

Sho nodded, "I like it... Sleep is good."

"Taika and Stoner say so. Fine. Let's go, stalker!" I shouted back at Michi, who shuddered visibly whenever I yelled.

"She's certainly not as good as I was hoping," Kicho commented, "Isn't she an Ultimate?"

She had a point, "Yeah, if you're so good, why are you so easily seen, huh?" I turned to see her freaking out, and she dove behind a pillar a second too late.

"Closest she's been," Sho answered in that annoying laidback tone, "Maybe she's just nervous, bein' so close."

"And why would she be stalking you for?" I demanded to understand that, at least, "What makes you so special?"

Sho shrugged, "Dunno. Noticed her following me in the back alleys when I left late shift at a soup kitchen. Guess she admires my work."

Kicho took that into consideration, "But if that was all, certainly there are better options. The police officer, for example. Or our headmaster himself..."

"Beats me, man... I don't know how they work. She told me was a genie, so I peeked at her handbook, that's all," Sho added, glancing back at her, "Thought she looked familiar, put two and two together. Had to let you guys know. Right?"

Kicho smiled, though I couldn't tell if she actually believed him or not, "Certainly. You did us both a service. Right, Mario?"

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah..." I answered her absentmindedly. Kicho opened her map and moved ahead to plan an optimal route to the hotel.

That's when Sho turned to me and spoke quickly, whispering, "Alright, Mario, if that's your name. I know. You're not what you say you are. And you let the thing with Michi drop, understood?"

I glared at him, "You threatening me? Mario Nobutsuna?"

"No. I'm threatening Maria..." He said confidently.

I cursed to myself. God dammit! How did he figure it out!? Wait, no... No, don't worry. Play it off. Act cool. "Fuck you! If you tell anyone-"

Sho continued, ignoring my outburst, "Leave Michi alone. Got it?" I nodded, "Good. Now come on, Mario. Kicho's waving for us."

I grumbled to myself as I followed along, and as Michi the 'stalker' continued struggling keeping up with us.

"So, Store Manager, eh? What store?" I asked Taika-chan, wanting to know more on her. Everyone else was distracted by her beauty, her presence. I worried she might be more than meets the eye, pleasant as she seemed.

Taika snickered, "Oh. Is this a question from a fan? I worked for multiple corporations, honestly. I managed a Towa Store in Akihabara. I handled H-list's overseas affairs for a few months... I even ran an old manga store in some backwater town for a while... What about it?"

I shook my head, "Just asking. Wondering how someone as beautiful as you worked jobs so far beneath you..." Butter her up, Mario, that's the ticket.

"And you, the Cartographer. How did you find your talent in that?" She asked meekly. Was she masquerading as a proper lady or was she lowering my guard? It's hard to tell with these traditional types.

"Made a map with a friend of mine. Back in the olden days, we had a forest separating our houses. We had a few creepy incidents, but nothing too bad," I reflected on my past only briefly. I didn't want to think about it, "Dad found it interesting. Took us hiking, and when I mapped out that area so easily, he decided to get me doing it professionally. I only have on job I regret doing, but... it was mostly fun."

Taika smirked for a second, then returning to her less-assuming blank expression, "And what job would a strong, daring person like you regret?"

I shuddered at the thought. Yes, even I was afraid of what I'd encountered, "Aokigahara Forest. It was... We found some people. Not good."

"Oh..." She said, contemplating what I'd said. Sho just watched us from a few feet behind, a dazed look in his eye.

"What do you want?" I asked, sounding ruder than I meant to.

Sho just shrugged, "I'm just walking this way... S'all good, man..."

If you say so. Sho was definitely not one to be trusted. His attitude with Michi was already suspicious, but to add to that he knows my name. My real identity... Is it? I kind of... don't know anymore.

It didn't matter now. I, the proud child of Taichi Nobutsuna, had no reason to die here. Man or woman, I'd survive this...

 **-Aya's POV- [Sewers]**

 _Why do I have to follow her around?_ I wasn't happy about joining Honoka again, but someone had to rein her in. And if not me, neither of these boys were up to the task! At least, I assumed.

"Aya, you don't have to be so close," Honoka was trying to rile me again. I just knew it, "Unless you like this?" Honoka placed her hand on mine, but I quickly jumped back.

I growled at her, "Stop, temptress! I am pure-hearted! I shall not be swayed by your wiles!"

Ryuu shook his head, "Just ignore her. She's just afraid of our bet... Hehehe!"

"As if!" Honoka stomped her foot, pouting, "I've been working on storytelling since I turned five! I'm not losing to some smug meanie who insults my craft!"

"I didn't insult it," Ryuu replied quickly, "I merely reminded you that your work will find only limited access in comparison to my works."

Honoka growled, "Talkin' shit! I'll make a game so good and pure, you'll cry! I promise you that!"

Ryuu grinned, "Then do it."

Ryoji adjusted his shirt, sighing, "Will you guys please just shut up already...?" Walking past the two of them, he joined my side, "Aya, where to?"

"According to our map... There's a huge underground mall complex... We could try there. If there are people left in this city, we need to get help," I knew it wouldn't be likely to find others, but I had to try.

"Good plan. What about them?" He motioned to the two arguing in the background, "Do they ever stop?"

I scratched the side of my face, already over their rambunctious fighting, "If they keep this up, we'll ditch them."

Honoka jumped onto my back, "Don't abandon me, Aya-chan! Ryuu's being mean to me!"

Ryuu argued, "Me, being mean? I wasn't even cursing yet..."

Ryoji intervened, "Seriously. If you two keep this up, I'll chain you two together 'til you stop this fighting.

I tossed him a pair of handcuffs I saved from when I broke myself out of my binds, "You better."

Ryuu huffed, "Fine, fine..." He put his hands in his pockets, "Haters..."

Honoka still clung to me, "But Aya-chan..."

"Get off of me," I ordered. Reluctantly, she did so, "Good girl. Now, control yourself. Or we'll leave you both here, Got it?"

Honoka fell off of me, tears forming in her eyes, "Fine... I'll not bother you anymore..."

Part of me wanted to apologize, but I knew if I caved, it would just make her even more persistent. So in silence, we continued down towards the cemetery, where an entrance to the sewers was rumored to be.

"I'm not going to like the sewers..." Ryuu said some time later, "There's usually scary shit down there. Like Monokumas. Or spiders... Or both..."

Ryoji patted him on the back, "Whatever it is, I'll try to protect you. Okay?"

Ryuu laughed, "You're not exactly an impressive person to be saying that..."

"...Well. Have fun when they're feasting on you..." Ryoji walked off angrily.

"I was kidding! Don't leave me alone down there!" Ryuu chased after him, pleading.

I sighed, "What even are we supposed to do? How could an idiotic group like us ever escape...?"

I knew I had to keep hope. If I didn't I might just give up and cry. But giving up was unlike me... I couldn't do that! Not now, not ever!

R-right?

"Aya? Are you alright?" Honoka was walking beside me now, "You seemed really scared. Something happen?"

I shook my head, "No, no... I'm just... Thinking, that's all. I'm afraid. Of what we're doing here. I... I was hoping our world would finally be safe, but now... I'm not so sure."

Honoka patted my shoulder, "We're here for you. Even if we're a bit... Well, dysfunctional."

"Honoka... You're more than just a pervert?" I joked, deciding to get her back for earlier.

Honoka turned away from me, a sad look on her face, "What a shocker, am I right? ...Haha..." She quieted herself up, and fell back a bit. She didn't talk, not even when we caught up to Ryuu and Ryoji, nor when we entered the cemetery and found the sewer entrance... I hope I didn't hurt her feelings.

 **-Narutoya's POV-**

For one such as me, chosen by God, I knew this was a sign. Hope's Peak wouldn't have challenged me. Not like I wanted. No, but this game... This would push me to my limits, forge me into something stronger, something impressive. Of course, I couldn't tell the others the truth about my actual talent. That I was more than a telemarketer...

I, the reincarnation of Oda Nobunaga, who would remake the world in my own way... I had to survive.

That being said, I was no killer. I wouldn't stoop to that; I had my pride, dammit. And as much as I was loath to admit it, I would not have the stomach for it anyway. I adjusted my glasses and took a precursory examination over my three allies.

Hiro was brash, aggressive, an obvious candidate for committing a murder. I wasn't going to earn his ire, and would have to distance myself from him. Even a friend could get struck down by one like that; as a certain Programmer found out the hard way. Hiro might be a useful tool, though; a Juzo to my Munakata. If I could control him, I could protect myself quite well.

Then there was Taka. Unassuming, quiet, in the background. I couldn't yet tell if it was stratagem on his part, or if he truly was just that pathetic. Still, he was somewhat intelligent. He planned out a route for us, and he was certainly making himself useful

Akira... She was an enigma. The one who towered over us, a dancer who dressed like a businessman of a higher caliber than even I... She had swagger about her. I was interested, to say the least.

For some damned reason, we had all agreed to go to the construction site. If it was passable, we'd reach the bridge on the outskirts of the city. Not past city limits, mind, but close enough.

I didn't know if the others would, but I found myself journaling my actions in my handbook. We had special features, so I could ensure it saved everything I wrote. I'd have to protect this in the event I was targeted, or worse. If I did die here, I'd bring them down with me.

A morbid thought, perhaps, but a sobering one all the more.

"Tch, this is a pain in the ass," Hiro said something, the first person to speak in a long while, "Why are we going to the damn bridge, first of all? We can't leave..."

Taka adjusted his glasses, "There's a significant number of question marks near the construction site and the bridge. It is within our best interests to investigate before the difficulty level is raised."

Akira smirked, taking a drag of another cigarette, "That how it is? This a game to you?"

"N-no ma'am..." He stuttered, nearly dropping his handbook as he slunk away from her gaze, "But if Monokuma treats this like the earlier games... It's certainly possible he'd do something like this..."

Hiro rolled his eyes, "Show some damn spirit, already! Are you going to cower when there might be people plannin' to kill amongst us!?"

Taka cowered even more, "Don't hit me... Please!"

Akira stepped in between the two, "Enough." She looked down at her gloved hands before smirking confidently, "If anyone plans to do shit, they gotta go through me."

"What are you going to do? Dance them to death?"

Hiro's joke didn't land as he hoped when Akira pulled him into her grip, a knife pressed against his throat before he could breath, "Ask me that again."

Taka exclaimed, "Akira, please! This is not how to make a point! Hiro's not unreasonable!"

"You're too kind..." Akira let go, and as Hiro coughed and tried to regain his breathing functions, she stepped back, folding her survival knife and planting it firmly in her suit pocket, "I hope we're clear, Hiro."

"Crystal..." Hiro gazed at her for a moment longer, "You're... good..."

Akira walked to the front of the group, "I told you, kid. I've seen some shit. Now, let's get there on time."

"And what about you, business boy?" She was certainly not referring to me so casually, was she? "Any words for us, or can you not pull your head up to see the sun for a moment?"

Adjusting my sunglasses once more, I rebuttaled, "I'm not one for conversation."

Akira scoffed at the thought, "Says the telemarketer? What a laugh."

"You're not what I expect from a dancer. Must we live by stereotypes even here?" I rebuked her, "I'm contemplating our situation. Is that a crime?"

Akira about faced and pointed, "Or you're planning something. A murder, perhaps? No, you don't seem the ambitious type. Why else would you remain a lowly telemarketer?"

I decided to play along, "Of course not, Miss. I'm fine where I am. Under exceptional individuals like you..."

"You do stand up, punk?" She replied, taking another deep breath of her nasty habit, "Tell me another."

"I'm not a joker, madam. You mistake me for another," I replied, walking faster to be next to Hiro, "Now, can we make haste? Talking is a waste of our energy."

Akira laughed, "I'm walking backwards and you can't keep up. If we're a pack, I'm the alpha."

Taka didn't say a word, to which I smirked, "We found the omega."

"H-hey! I'm not..." Taka gave up arguing with me. As expected of the pack's whipping boy.

Hiro shrugged, "Wolves, huh? I'm fine being the beta."

"The gamma," I corrected him, "That's what third place is."

Akira smirked, enjoying our bickering, "Ohoho. Are we having a new challenger? Who will be the beta, that gets to be my servant?"

Hiro shook his head, "I don't do service. You're up, business boy."

"If it will shut you both up, I'll do it," I didn't like what I was doing here, "I've had my fair share of hardass bosses."

Akira stomped out her cigarette, the last ash falling away in the wind, "I'd say mine's pretty soft, actually. Alright, business boy. You get to be assistant business boy now. Nice promotion, eh?"

Why must God suffer amongst his own people? Was this a test for myself? A test of patience, of will? May I have strength to walk through this valley of death...


	3. Prologue 3: The Missing Class

**-Kotoko's POV-**

Going to the subway may not have been the best idea... It just reminded me of... back then.

I obviously wasn't going to be proud of it. I can't really undo the slaughter of a good few hundred human beings, demons or not... I did enjoy killing the ones that reminded me of... them, though.

We reached the stairway to the subway, the closest one. There wasn't any rubble blocking it thankfully, but that didn't do much for us. I knew we'd find no way out down there, but I didn't have the heart to tell them I crashed the only working bullet train. Unless someone fixed it, but...

"Kotoko? Any advice? I know you're from here," Naoya spoke up at my side, whispering to me.

I tilted my head slightly, "Oh? Well, it's a long time since I tried to motivate anyone down there... Oh, I didn't mean 'down there', though I... I'll stop talking now."

Naoya shook his hand, "I understand. I heard. I read Toko's novel," he shrugged, "All the details are up here." He was pointing to his head.

I laughed at him, "Really? You know what I am? Why are you helping me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He asked, giving me a serious look.

"I read that book. I know the things I did, the pain I inflicted," I remembered it every night. It was hard to tell what haunted me more by this point, "Don't risk your safety for me."

Naoya sighed, "...I'm not sure I can leave you to the wolves. Some of us, they might... Even Kojiro wants to monitor you..."

I took out a flashlight from my pocket and turned it on, following after the policeman and his disciple, whose excitable exclamations told us exactly where to follow them, "I don't blame them. Not at all... I..."

Placing a hand over mine, he stopped me, "Kotoko, you can't hate yourself for that. That book didn't just detail your crimes. It told me your pain, your suffering. The unthinkable hell you had to endure... You should have never..."

"Naoya... Hehe. You're kind. Just like Komaru was..." Walking past him, I joked, "Hope I don't motivate you, too."

We headed down the stairwell and found ourselves on the subway tracks. An overturned train blocked off one way, and the other had the remains of another train on its side, "It's going to be a bit dangerous, but we can climb through this," Kojiro dryly stated, "I'll go first. Cover me." Putting the flashlight he had in his mouth, he started crawling through to the other side, slowly and methodically. With every crunch of glass, he halted, waiting for a trap to spring, for a noise to ring out, something. It was what he did the whole way through.

Naoya went second, offering to take the risk. Then I went, and Shiori followed us. When we finally reached the other side, we found the ruins of the subway, dilapidated further than I anticipated. I saw sword cuts and drill marks in the walls, thinking back on when I chased that one girl through here with Masaru. What was her name? Kanon?

"I don't like this..." Kojiro warned, taking out his baton, "If we get attacked right now, we'd get clogged up in here."

A noise from behind us laughed, "Upupupu!"

Behind us, several lights appeared, all red eyes leering in the darkness, as several Monokuma shot out towards us.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my old denture gun; I brought it with me just in case I needed to defend myself. I shot a single denture at the first one. It exploded with a kooky sound effect and an "Aw, man!" The other five looked at me warily.

One lunged for my side, but Naoya protected me, jumping in the way with some rubble in hand, bashing it in the face.

Kojiro jumped onto one, baton in hand, beating it into submission. As it started to explode, he kicked it into the group, sending them flying.

The three Monokumas it was launched into blew apart in a chain reaction, leaving pieces of electronics and mocking laughter raining down on us. The voice box was the most resilient part!? Of course it would be...

The one Naoya attacked growled at us and lunged again, but it split in half midway through the air. As parts began to hit the ground, making loud noises all throughout the echoing subway walls, we saw someone not in our group. I didn't recognize them, though, so maybe this wasn't bad.

He had an earpiece, and he pressed two fingers to it, "Subway still inhabited. Confirmed Monokuma bots. Found outsiders." His short, dark brown hair was cut very nicely, and he had scars on his left cheek. He turned to us, a confident smirk. He was wearing an open shirt, sleeves torn off. His chiseled body didn't seem to fit with his legs, so long and lanky. He had hazel eyes and a determined smirk on his face.

Kojiro produced his badge, "Stop! This is the... Towa Police, I suppose. Who are you? Identify yourself!"

"The police here were killed off about six hours ago," the man replied, sitting on some rubble behind him, "The Monokumas attacked just as midnight struck. It began when a black helicopter appeared over the school district and dropped off a group of people. And since the police are done for... I presume you're one of those people."

Kojiro's eyes lowered, "So the city was retaken... Then it's as I feared. Whoever's doing this is a powerful organization. Someone with weight... To take down one of the centers for rebuilding the world..."

The man barked, "As if! This city should have been torn down, day one. Towa Corporation, they... Them bastards invented the Monokumas that destroyed civilian life. So, who are you, then? If you're not responsible?"

Naoya spoke, "I'm Naoya Himura. From the 83rd class of Hope's Peak."

"That so?" He pressed on his earpiece once more, "Hey. Records... 83rd class, Hope's Peak... Look for one Himura. Really? Alright..." He turned his attention to us, "Headquarters reported that a Naoya Himura, designation Ultimate Dreamer, was scheduled to arrive sometime today at noon. None of the 83rd Class B has arrived."

"Class B?" I asked, confused.

The man answered briefly, "There were two classes. One with Naoya in it, and the A class. There's only one person missing from that class... And that would be you, Kotoko Utsugi."

"One missing... How many are in both?" Naoya asked, concerned.

"Sixteen. If Kotoko's here... Are there seventeen of you total?" He asked.

Kojiro shook his head, "Negative. Only sixteen of us... Our names are..."

After giving him the names, the man talked into his headpiece for a bit. Eventually, he nodded, "You're missing a female student. Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist. She's not shown up at school either, which suggests she could have been taken... And you were all kidnapped the same way?" We nodded, "Then whoever took Kotoko may have wanted only sixteen. To reenact the original killing game, they need sixteen. Which means Sheena may have been captured and killed as a loose end."

The man said this so matter-of-factly that it sickened Naoya, "That's not something you can casually say to us! Not when we're trapped in some sick killing game!"

"Daisuke. My name is Daisuke Ichijou," he finally answered us, "A former member of Hope's Peak's 79th Class. The last one before it shut down..."

Kojiro scratched his chin, "Well, it's true Makoto's introductory Ultimate classes were the 80th class. But why weren't we ever told?"

Daisuke didn't answer at first, "We had... our own game. Our own hell. Now... I don't know what's going on, but... Our leader, Satoshi, got sent a distress signal from Towa City. One of our friends went MIA. We all came here this morning to find them... And now this... I'll try to contact them about your friends. See if we can't try and get you out of this game. But..."

"But what?" I asked, pleadingly, "You can't just... leave us here! Why would you let this happen!?"

He tensed up, but relaxed, "I'm not a smart guy. I'm just a cheerleader... Now, look. I'll... I'll do my damnedest, but until I find the others, I'm pretty useless on my own. And if whoever set this up planned to bring my friends here, they might be in danger, too. And they are my priority."

Kojiro growled in annoyance, "Isn't that an excuse?" Daisuke's eyes shifted to meet his, "We have innocents amongst us, just like your group. And we're here. By the time you find your comrades, we could all have been killed. Can you just walk away from our plight?"

There was a brief silence, "I can-"

Behind us, rubble parted in a particularly ruthless explosion as a monstrous mechanical menace hobbled towards us. It was like Masaru's drill bot, but it was different, creepier-looking, withered.

Daisuke cursed to himself, "Go! I'll hold it off! When I get back to base, I'll bring help, you understand?"

Kojiro saluted him and grabbed the normally very talkative Shiori by the hand, "Let's go, back to the main streets! The subways are far too dangerous for us!"

In a panic-filled retreat, we scaled the steps up through the darkened subway stairs, the escalators long broken and in disrepair. When we reached the doorway to above ground, we pushed them open, breathing in the sunlight and air that hadn't been left to decay. All of us were breathing pretty hard.

"Sheena Midoriko, hm?" Kojiro began making notes in his handbook, "We should all note what we discussed. Whether he helps us or not... His information could be invaluable to us."

Shiori agreed, "Yeah, he'll help us! There's no way he'd let innocents get hurt! Not if he's an Ultimate like us!"

"Assuming he survives that fight," I bitterly added. I didn't like to think about it, but that robot would have killed us, "I know that machine quite well. Without those weird microphone gun things... We'd be royally fucked."

Naoya sighed, "Well... Now what? To the motel to discuss what we learned?"

Kojiro thought on it, "Update your handbooks. Then we'll go. And remember to do it regularly. This might save our lives."

I nodded and pulled out mine. I liked the pink font it had; it was soooo cute!

 **-Ryoji's POV-**

Did I mention I already hated this? Ryuu and Honoka kept arguing over who would get the title of Ultimate Game Maker, like that really mattered when almost the entire industry collapsed. And Aya wasn't very talkative. Did I do something to offend her? We were walking side by side, but she just kept looking at her feet.

"Am I bothering you?" I asked, somewhat reluctantly.

Aya didn't respond at first, "What...? No. No... I'm just overthinking things, that's all. It's a frequent habit of mine..."

I chuckled, "I know that feeling. Happens all the time..." I looked down at my watch. Early afternoon, huh? "There's the cemetery... You sure about this? We don't know what's down there..."

"I'll protect you," Aya looked up at me and smiled, "I promise..."

I struggled not to comment on how cute that was as we entered the cemetery and she began prying up the manhole with her bare hands. When it finally popped off, it flew into the air and crashed through a tombstone.

"Whoops..." Aya started laughing awkwardly while Honoka and Ryuu caught up.

Honoka smirked confidently, "You're a strong girl, huh? I'll entrust my life to you... First!" She jumped down the hole excitedly.

Ryuu shook his head, "But did you have to?" He followed after.

"You next," I said, taking out a flashlight I kept on my excavations and handed to her, "I'll cover our back."

"You're going first," Ryuu stated from the darkness below.

I shined my flashlight at him, "You own the flashlight? No? You first."

Aya took it from me delicately and dropped down, "Thanks, Ryoji..."

Gazing around at the ruined cemetery, I swore I could see a rock from the tombstone shake. There was no wind, and the air was colder than before. I shuddered, hoping it was just a Monokuma... That would be a more pleasant thought than what could await me in the darkness below.

My feet hit the solid ground of the sewers. Unlike what I expected, it was smoothed out concrete.

Ryuu opened his handbook and checked the map, "According to our map... We have to go up a ladder and down a hallway. There will be stairs leading above ground, and if we turn right instead of left to go up that, we'll find our underground mall area."

"Building a mall underground? What is this city, full of hipsters?" Honoka chimed in. Adding a fake accent reminiscent of a valley girl, she narrated, "Our city is so cool, our entire mall is underground. Isn't that, like, amazing and like, stuff?"

I grinded my teeth, "Enough of that. What way's the ladder?"

Ryuu pointed, "Forward and around a corner. Maybe three hundred meters."

And thus we walked. It was uneventful until we reached the ladder.

"I'll go first," I offered, taking my flashlight from Aya. I climbed up the ladder rungs and visibly cringed at every loud metal bang whenever I slipped on the wet bars. I reached the top and felt my heart slow as danger was no longer imminent.

Honoka shrugged, "I'll go second. Why not? Ryuu, catch me if I fall." She stuck her tongue out at him and started up after me as I shone the light down on her so she could clearly see the rungs.

Ryuu started up just after her and briefly looked up before averting his gaze, "Are the White Stripes in concert or is it just me?" Honoka slammed her foot into Ryuu's smug face before she reached the top and jumped up, "I was kidding! Was I right?!"

When Ryuu reached the top, neither of us spoke to him until Aya climbed up, "What's wrong? How'd the mood go foul?"

Ryuu rubbed his bruised nose, "I should have shut my trap..." Flashlight in hand, I led the four of us even further. We passed by the stairs (only to notice a door blocking them with the number twelve etched into it) and headed right. We found the mall; every store, though, had iron gates barring them all off, every last one. There was an electrical box to the side that would deactivate them, but, you guessed it, it was locked.

"Damn... Where would they key for this be?" I asked, thinking like an evil mastermind might.

Honoka knocked on the box with her bare hand, "Hey, open up. Please..."

"Why would that work?" Mister Game Designer couldn't grasp her logic. Yet he programs people dumber than she is all the time, huh?

"You don't know! Maybe it's voice-activated!" She shouted back, her face turning red.

Aya leaned against one of the walls, made of brick and cement, "So we came all this way for... what? A locked off mall? What a drag..."

"And we found one of the number doors the handbook mentioned," I added, reminding us, "So if... Well, if anything does happen, we might... That could be our way out."

"No!" Aya shouted back at me, "We're ALL getting out of here! Not just ten or twelve or fifteen, all of us!"

Ryuu interjected, "In what world do you think it'll be that easy? We live in a world where a teenage fashion bitch ended our way of life. Literally millions of people died, and most of us did, too. How can you say that in our situation?" He sounded angry, annoyed at her presumptuousness.

"Ryuu, that's... Can't you be a little more positive?" Honoka put her hand on his shoulder, and he lightened up, "Please?"

"It's hard to do that in a dead city. You... We all saw them. The bodies... Those damn Warriors of Hope... And then whoever trapped us here... They're psychotic, you know!? And what if... If someone here is planning to... to murder... What would we do then!?" He was voicing his fears, something I'd avoided dwelling on as much as possible.

I stepped forward, my fist shaking, "Then we'll make a promise. Right here, right now... I won't kill anyone. I'd sooner sell my soul!"

Aya nodded, putting her hand on mine, "Me, too! I swear by the life I have, never to kill anyone!"

Honoka walked forward and put her hand above ours, "Same. I, Honoka Asai, swear never to lay a finger on another."

We all looked at Ryuu expectantly, but he just shook his head in exasperation, "Seriously? Promises won't mean much to protect us from a hidden blade, a spurt of anger. And there's twelve others out there just as likely to..."

Honoka pleaded, "Ryuu... Come on. Please?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath. "Fine. I guess that kind of paranoia is what the mastermind wants, isn't it? I promise I won't kill anyone." He added his hand in and we nodded to ourselves.

We were silent for a while as we headed back. Partly out of fear of attracting something, and partly because we had nothing to say so soon.

As we reached the ladder and the four of us re-entered the cemetery from below, a figure greeted us with a blank face, a tense atmosphere.

The girl was about as tall and me, a scar running down her bottom lip. She had gray eyes that observed us, her small frame covered by a track suit. There was a set of claw marks on her pants leg, but that could easily be the Monokumas running about. No, what stood out about her was the ears... The two small ears, the cat ears planted on her head, moving as a breeze rolled past, covering themselves before raising again.

Then I noticed her yellow and black tail behind her, curled to the side. Was she cosplaying something? Why did they move?

"You're not Monokumas... Did someone live?" She was speaking, more to herself than to us, "Hrm... Perhaps Shinji was right in his suspicions..."

I walked forward, "He-hey... You! Who... Who are you?"

The girl shot me a scanning look, "Who are you, for that matter?" She took on a defensive stance, spreading her feet apart and claws came out of her fingers where nails... would have been, "Identify yourselves or be subdued."

"Ryoji Iwasaki, Ultimate Archaeologist!" I shouted out in desperation.

"Oh... The 83rd class..." She dropped her stance, "Daisuke-kun called that in. We'll try to free you. We're... ex-Ultimates ourselves..." She looked away from us, thinking, "I could try to lead you back to my friends, but our way out was destroyed and we're stuck here too. And the Monokumas have been making our journeys hazardous. For now, we're lucky to be alive."

Ryuu stepped forward, "Do you know, then? About our capture? Our game?"

She nodded, "Koneko is my name. And we tried to contact the Academy, but internet, mobile, it's all down. I'm lucky to reach my headquarters with this earpiece," I noticed she had an earpiece next to her mouth, the top half stretched up to her larger ears on the top of her head, "Our last report from them was around an hour ago, just past 1. That was when we were notified of your absence from class."

I sighed, "Thank goodness... At least someone's looking for us. They'll get here on time, I hope."

Aya cheered, "We're totally going to be saved! I feel it!"

A beep came from Koneko's earpiece, and she listened in, "What!? What's happening!? You can't be serious! He's..." Her face soured, and she lowered her hand, "Roger. I have to go back to base. I have to save my friends. If you don't hear from me again... Assume the worst." And like that, she was off, leaping over to the top of the gate before dashing off into the distance, over cars and onto buses, running wildly on all fours like a wild beast.

We all just sort of looked into each other's faces, confused and frightened for our futures...

 **-Kicho's POV-**

Going to the hotel was the logical choice, of course. We'd be out in the open unnecessarily endangering ourselves by just wandering. No, we needed to ensure the motel was safe and branch out from there. I would have suggested this, but the others likely wouldn't have listened; not immediately. Besides, why show off my intellectual side? That would only serve to put a target on my back.

While I am aware that there was a potential for no killings to occur, I was no blind optimist. I would not foolishly believe in the others; that would be the mistake to cost me my life. No, I'd much sooner kill than be killed. That was my resolve... To get out alive.

I'm not a monster, of course. I didn't relish the thought of getting them all killed. I intended to wait. Should no murders occur, and should we manage to stay alive, that would be the end of it. But should a murder or two happen... Well, if I couldn't trust them... I'd have to save myself, yes?

Kicho Taika was far more than just a store manager. First and foremost, she was... a survivor.

"I don't like this..." Mario said, as if it wasn't painfully obvious. We were kidnapped victims, after all, "What if this... this hotel's a trap? A place to sleep? A safe place? Perfect for a dirty trap."

Sho shrugged, "What can we... Like, do?" Sho said it in that same lackadaisical attitude he carried all the time. Whatever would we do with him?

I suppose he'll survive to the end like that. Who would target such a buffoon? Unless that was his intention; to act the fool and strike later... Perhaps he would be my greatest adversary...

I decided now would be the best time to play my hand, "So Sho... Would you mind telling us Michi's real talent?"

Sho stopped mid-stride and moved to face me, "Excuse me?"

"I said it quite clearly," I stopped and pointed back to Michi, hiding pathetically behind a broken car, "This isn't fitting to be an Ultimate Stalker. It's abysmal. And your excuses are garbage. And your threatening... Maria here? Even colder..."

Sho growled at me for a moment before he returned to that simplistic facade, "Threatening? I was just... asking him to play nice... And Michi, she... She has a talent that... Others might not like, you know?"

I stood my ground, "Then it had best be told to us if we're to trust her. And Maria... If you let this bastard walk, I'll tell the others myself. Unless you intend to silence me with force?"

Mario grimaced, "Sho, look... Just tell her, man. I'm not being used for your petty squabbles! Play cool, man!"

"No can do, Maria..." Sho shot back, a sly smirk, "Your secret isn't worth someone's life."

"If you don't tell me, I'll ensure a witch hunt," Sho tensed when I said that, "She could easily be the mastermind. You could be protecting her, for what? Money? Power? Safety?"

Sho's expression dropped. It was blank, masking his true feelings as he closed his eyes and thought, "I didn't want that knowledge out because would-be killers would target her. If she wants to, she can tell you. But I won't say anything."

Michi slowly approached us, and I tried to not intimidate her, "Michi, please understand. I do not wish to suspect you, buy if you hide your talent, and if you let this one," I pointed at Sho, "bully others to keep it secret... What will I ever think of that? Of you?"

Michi fidgeted around, moving her foot around in the dirt in front of her, "I just... I'm a Forensic Analyst. I investigate crime scenes. I didn't want to say... I couldn't."

"Ah, a crime solver..." Sho seemed unnerved that she broke so easily, "Sho, having her hide that... Did you intend to keep that secret so we couldn't protect her? So we'd kill her?"

Sho sneered at me, "Stupid bitch. If I wanted her dead, I'd have shared it with you. Someone else would do it, and my hands would be clean," He shot her a reassuring look, "I don't mean her harm. If everyone knew, she might be... Well, I was hoping to keep that hidden."

I saw my chance and took it, "We can still do that. Right, Maria? We all have secrets here, don't we?" He nodded, and Michi followed after, "Even you, Sho... Lying to everyone about your real self. What a shame... You're an intelligent young man, aren't you?"

"If we're playing the all in this together game," Sho brushed my comment off, "Then what is your secret, Kicho? You have to ante up, too."

"I'm a smart woman. Had perfect grades throughout school," I performed a small dance twirl I learned at a shrine in Fukushima, "I'm an intellectual. And, to the others' chagrin, a deductive reasoning kind of person. I've had to dumb myself down so they wouldn't suspect more from me."

Sho folded his arms, "That it? You think being smart makes you some kind of threat to us?"

I shot back, "Then why are you hiding that about yourself, Sho?"

When I saw him tense up, I knew I'd gotten him. Even if it was only for now, I'd coiled him in.

"F-fine... We won't tell the others for now. Not unless we have to. I don't want to endanger her... or any of us. Got that?" He said demandingly.

Mario shrugged, "Whatever you idiots want. Just leave me out of it. Got it?"

I nodded, "Please, call me Taika-chan, Mario. I've grown quite familiar to being referred to as such. That or... Taika-sama... But that'd be weird coming from my own classmates."

"Alright, Taika-chan," Sho answered, "There it is... Hotel Towa. What's so special about it? Sliding glass front door? Hell, this won't be safe..."

Michi offered, "What if the bots aren't programmed to go inside?"

"We better hope so," Sho said, glancing as far up the building he could see.

I neglected to tell him Mario was already inside, so I followed after him. I wanted first class rooms, of course. Isn't that all a girl could want?

 **-Taka's POV-**

The group I was with weren't all that kind. Other than being called the Omega, they didn't bother with me. I had time to analyze their habits, detect inconsistencies. Everyone here was supposed to get along, but these three... they felt the opposite of that. They felt like outliers, like... killers waiting to happen.

Narutoya was a stuck-up prick. He snubbed Hiro and I at every opportunity like he was God's gift. It was annoying. Was it unethical to hope he was our first victim? Nevertheless, he was at least an intelligent bastard, and that might help us in the coming storm. Then again, he could be our greatest foe if he decided to play the antagonist.

Hiro was the character with the least depth amongst us. A brawny brute with a penchant for violence; we've all seen the type. He'd be voted most likely to kill in a fit of rage in high school, I bet. I'd stay away from him and off his bad side. Then again, I'm certain Narutoya plans to find a way to use him.

Finally, we had Akira. She was a complete mystery to me. I didn't grasp what she was truly like beneath the veneer. But she was a wild one, at that. A cold, soulless bitch if she wanted to be, and a total babe at other times... Boy, would I like to have hot coffee with her...

"Somethin' on my face, nerd boy?" Akira shot a curious look at me, but I bowed, "What, you scared?"

"No, Miss Akira... Just anxious, that's all. I'm not a particularly strong or cunning person, so I'm at a disadvantage here..." I honestly told her what I'd been feeling. Akira might be intimidating, yes, but she wasn't cold or spiteful. I hoped.

Akira chuckled, "We're headed to a construction site. Plenty of stuff to defend yourself with. And if you can't, I'll guard ya meself. I'm the teen mom after all..."

I raised a finger in confusion, "Don't you mean team mom?"

"Really? Damn... That might explain the funny looks people give me..." She thought to herself. For someone so worldly, she's kind of, how can I say this delicately... Oblivious?

Hiro was scratching at the back of his head, "Well, ain't this some shit..." I followed his pointed finger and saw the construction site. Or where I suspected it to be, blocked off by a metal door. The number 13 was etched into it.

"Those odd number counts..." Akira cursed and kicked the door, "Solid steel."

Hiro smirked, "I got this," He placed his hands on the wall and when it didn't do anything, he began to grip and climb, "I'll climb the damned thing..."

He got about halfway before a shock ran through him and he collapsed on the ground, painfully.

Akira laughed at his pain, "Did you really think they'd not put defenses up? If this game is that important that they'd destroy an entire city for us..."

I defended him, "That makes it more reasonable to try. With such a wide area to maintain, it'd be harder for them to avoid mistakes."

"True, true. If this was Skywind, we'd have found a glitch by now," Narutoya dryly commented, adjusting his glasses, "Or Stories of Xirria."

"You play Stories games?" I asked, genuinely interested in what the supposed businessman did in his down time.

Narutoya's face flushed as he responded ever so confidently, "I'm a telemarketer. It's my duty to know my projects, nothing more."

"What kinda telemarketer sells RPGs?" Hiro queried.

Narutoya ignored him, "Don't concern yourself with my work. I'm the best for a reason. Sometimes we get donations. Like Kickstarter, or politicians do..."

I adjusted my glasses, "That actually sounds pretty cool. Do you play the games or just do market research?"

"Enough," Narutoya refused to budge, "If we can't even enter the construction site, we have to head back. Delaying or drawing this out any longer will just be a burden for all of us. Let's head back."

He started off in the direction of the hotel, referring to his handbook for directions. One by one, Akira, Hiro, and I followed suit through that dead quiet city, an unnerving feeling trailing us like a bloodhound. That was just a feeling, right? We wouldn't be getting chased by... anything. Gulp.


	4. Prologue 4: The Eighteen Players

**-Hiro's POV-**

The walk back to the hotel was awkward. Narutoya was a total gaming nerd. Taka kept quiet like the Omega we kept calling him, and Akira wouldn't engage me in any real conversation. She considered me a dumb kid, and that pissed me off. Why'd she act so mature? She's our age... Tch, what a shitshow. I couldn't even get a good fight out of these people. Maybe Aya, but hitting girls unprovoked isn't gonna look good. If she'd agree to sparring, maybe...

We were finally outside of the towering structure of Hotel Towa, and damn, it looked fancy. Hadn't been to a place looking this good since that trip to Dubai...

"Looks comfortable. Guess that's a plus," I said half-assedly. I felt like we were in for a painful, wild ride.

Akira walked forward and opened the door with a single push to the side, "What are ya waitin' for, an invitation? Move your asses!"

"The softest can go first," Narutoya shot back, smirking.

Akira grabbed Narutoya's shirt collar and hustled him in first, "If you say so, pillow princess."

When the four of us were inside, we were greeted by Kicho, Sho, Michi, and Mario.

"About time someone else got back," Mario smiled a bit, "Afraid you all got lost or... worse."

Narutoya scoffed at the idea, "Us, injure ourselves? As if."

"It could happen..." Kicho replied coolly, "Someone as amazing as you would be a prime first target."

"You know, I know what you're trying to do here... But I'll allow it," Narutoya shot back, toying with the 'huntress' himself.

Michi raised her hand meekly, "Did any of you see the o-others?"

"If we did, we'd have brought them, obviously," I angrily replied, "I... I'm sorry. We're just... Tense. This is a new kind of dread. Like awaiting a champion fighter in a match... My heart keeps pumping... Haha... ha..."

Akira nudged him with her shoulder, "Don't have a heart attack on us now."

I gave her a courageous grin, "Me, no way. I'll be here to see this through, I promise!"

That was when the door opened.

 **-Ryuu's POV-**

If it wasn't obligatory for me to hold the center stage, I wouldn't. I know better than to play such an important role in a game like this. I have to be obscure, background enough to not be popular, but prevalent enough to be a mock puppet. Like Hagakure.

I remember watching that game... It fucked me up real bad as a kid. Being here wasn't good for my anxiety. Ryoji, Aya, and Honoka were off talking to the others about our findings, or lack thereof. Part of me wanted to go side questing...

I noticed there was a back alley behind the hotel, and there was a question mark nearby. After much self-motivation, I silently pressed my face against the door, listening for sounds. When I heard nothing, I opened the door and headed out into the alleyway. It was darker back here, the sun's rays obscured by the buildings. I walked down and took a left, hoping to find the question mark. I found several bodies along the way... Recent. I should have just fled then and there, but something compelled me to move forward. I could bail if it got too bad. The destination was just up and around the bend... In a building, no less. I hoped it was lit up.

Around the corner, I found a small donut shop. It was abandoned, the windows were mostly broken with a few untouched, and a couple of bodies were left, on a table or hiding under one. Nothing boney. The city had been repaired since the Towa City incident... So was Monaca Towa behind this? Her name was in the news at least. For Towa City, and the murder of Miaya Gekkougahara...

Wasn't she at Hope's Peak, though? Or should be... Damn.

Stepping into the restaurant, I heard a yelp, and a girl fell from the closet door. She must have been leaning too close to it and fell out. She had long white hair, like the snow. She wore a yellow blouse, a lighter yellow like the sun, and a black belt above her red skirt, adorned with roses and other flowers I didn't recognize. She had blue eyes and a frightened look on her face.

"Who are you?" She asked, tentatively.

"Ryuu Nomoya, Ultimate Game Designer. Class 83 of Hope's Peak..." I answered it plainly and concisely.

She jumped up, "Really!?" She jumped onto me, "Thank god!"

I pushed her off of me, gently but firmly, "Calm down. I'm not here for a knife in the back. Name."

"Sheena... Sheena Midoriko. I was... am the Ultimate Biologist. I think... I was in the city for a project I was working on at the science hall when the city was attacked... My friends, my comrades, they..." She jumped towards me again, grabbing my shirt, "We have to go save them, please! They can't all be-"

I grabbed her hands and told her simply, "They're likely... The rest of your class, our class. We're in the hotel. Did you get a handbook?"

She nodded and held it out, "Some odd bear handed it to me directly. Told me I'd be playing... Is this some sick joke?"

"Ask the bodies you've seen on your way here," I grimly replied, "I'm not going to sugarcoat this. We're actually in a fucked up killing game... Like the 78th class had..."

Sheena started to tear up, "B-but... the world is... was safe."

I wished that were so, I bitterly thought to myself. If it had been, I'd... My friends...

"It's going to be okay, now," I assured her, talking softly, "We'll go back to the group and just... keep ourselves together. Okay? We'll stick together now, for better or..."

Or worse. Much, much worse... I introduced her to the others hastily, but before much talking could be had, we were interrupted by something slightly more important.

 **-Michi's POV-**

Shiori, Kojiro, Naoya, and Kotoko, the last of us to return, burst through the door and blocked it with their bodies.

"Monokumas are... in the...subways..." Naoya breathed out in between drawn out breaths.

Kotoko plopped down next to him, breathing a sigh of relief, "That was... close."

I tentatively walked up to Naoya and handed him my handkerchief, "Here. You're bleeding..."

He noticed his arm and looked up at me, "You sure? This looks important..." I nodded and he pressed it against the fresh wound, "Ah... I didn't think those things got me. Hope it's not contagious, whatever they have... Haha..."

Kojiro pulled out his handbook and scrolled through it, "We did get some decent information out of someone... But nothing conclusive."

Shiori shrugged, "Better than nothing, right Detective Sensei?" Kojiro blankly stared back at her excited expression.

Everyone else eventually gathered, and when we were midway through discussing their encounter with Daisuke, the front door opened, and another gentleman walked inside.

 **-Akira's POV-**

The new guy looked tough. Nearly six feet tall, scars across his cheek and across his nose, red eyes of crimson that seemed to suck in the light around them, short black hair with bangs covering the left half of his face. He had a handbook in one hand and held it loosely, as if he could do without it. He wore a red coat and a black tank top, extra thick and with a pocket for a blade he had, a knife that looked like a dragon made of gold. His black pants were thick, as if camo pants painted black.

He looked over each and every one of us. Was he assessing us? Gauging our reaction time?

Hiro spoke first, "Hey, who the hell are you?"

"Muay Thai Fighter," The man had a cold voice; somewhat raspy, "Don't be so brash. That kind of stuff gets you killed. And I'm older than you newbies, so show respect."

Older than us? "So you're... what, 20? How old? What's your name, kid?" I asked.

He turned his attention to me, "My name is not important to you, right? You suspect me because I came in late. Maybe I'm the mastermind, or maybe I'm just some nobody. What does it matter to you all?"

Narutoya asked, adjusting his shades again, "What title are you known by?"

The man shook his head, "Ultimate? I never fit into that system well..."

"Just tell us," Mario followed up, growing ever more suspicious, "Or else."

"You'll never understand what I went through because of that title," he spoke up at last, "And now we're here."

A giant monitor lowered from behind us, hooked up to a small crane on the side of the tower's entrance way. And guess what appeared on it...

Monokuma's smirking face, "There's our last friend. Sheena, sorry for the lacking introduction. But escorting you here wouldn't have been fair. You'll be fine..."

Sheena shouted, "Leave me be, you sick monster!" She was practically in tears, "Where are my friends!?"

"Where they belong. In the ground," Monokuma harshly answered her, losing that mocking tone for a moment, "And Shinji... For you, it's a welcome back, huh!? But unlike last time, this game is real... Amazing, right?"

The guy, Shinji, replied, "Monokuma... Where I come from, Future Foundation exterminated you. This time... I'll oblige myself."

Monokuma laughed at his threats, "Oh, Mister Kizami... What can an Ultimate Romantic like you really do to me!? Hahaha! Now, enough time wasting! It's time to reveal... the theme to this killing game!"

"Theme?" I asked, curious what else he'd throw at us, "What else could there be?"

"This is going to be fantastic, if I do say so myself! Our theme is something personal and intimate... It's revenge!" Music played in the background like the introduction to a bad carnival, "That's right! Every single one of you is responsible for ruining the life of a classmate of yours. And we'll be able to work that out through a killing game! Think about the worst experience in your life... Someone else here caused it!"

Shinji snarked, "Oh, is Junko here and I don't know it?"

Sho laughed, "Worst experience? I had some bad spicy food once..."

Monokuma ignored the idiot, "That's right! You're all connected! Someone here has ruined the life of another. And that goes for all of you! Maybe in ways you can't expect... Hehe! Now, of course, I won't spoil that all at once, but... Let's just say it'll be quite interesting to see how you'll react!"

"Revenge is the best you got?" Mario raised his fist at the screen, "Good luck with that, assface!"

"I'm not Togami!" The bear happily announced, "Calm yourself, Maria. Before I let the cat out of the bag! Or... whoops, too late!"

We all stared at Maria?, who cursed, "Fuck you, Monokuma!" Her? voice was of a much higher pitch now, the ruse ruined, "Why you gotta out me like that!?"

Monokuma chuckled, "'Cuz it's a game!" He looked over us, his smug face scanning over us, "That's right. You all have bones to pick with each other. Trapped in such a large city like this... Aren't you all excited!? I know I am!" Monokuma pointed to Shinji, "And as for you, Mister Kizami... This is the real deal. Not one of your girlfriend's petty simulations... Try not to let me down. Make this game an interesting one..."

And the screen turned off, leaving us alone in a darkened room. The lights to the hotel turned on, and we just now noticed it was evening.

Taka awkwardly asked, "So... Who wants dinner?"

"I'd kill for some... I mean, I could live with some hamburger steaks..." Sho realized what he was saying and corrected himself.

And like that, we eventually split up. Some of us had dinner together, myself included. I'm old enough to know when free food is good; almost always. Especially since I cooked with Taka. Surprising he's a chef, huh? Guess he cooks at home because his mom works late. Others went to their rooms, all identified by our name, to check out the locks and the rooms themselves. They were actually catered to us. I had some packs of cigarettes in a drawer, along with some flasks and other stuff. I wondered how well the mastermind had to know us to do this, but it was common knowledge for me. I got kicked out of many a dancing contest for my habits; not that it did them any good. More people would go to see me than their little morality pow-wows. So someone here ruined my life, huh? And I ruined someone else's?

Kojiro stressed for us to ignore Monokuma's prodding. It was likely to sow dissent among us and not the truth. But still, I wondered. I had heard of and even met one of these people before... But to ruin their life? Who could it have been, and why?

I suppose I'd find out. I took a small drink of whiskey and put the shot back on the wardrobe by my bedside. It would come to us eventually. For now, I just had to survive. My door was locked, I had just showered in the divine warm water in the decorative shower, and was ready to hit those silk sheets. As I lay down to sleep on my back, one passing thought entered my mind... Was he safe without me? I hoped so... If anything should happen to me... No, I can't think like that.

I'll come back to him alive. No matter the cost.

 **-Naoya's POV-**

Eventually, Kotoko and I were left alone. The others splintered off one by one, even the new guy, Shinji.

"Naoya, something wrong?" Kotoko sat across from me in the lounge of the hotel, where I was looking up through the skylight at the night sky.

I shook my head, "Kotoko... You were here in years passed. Do you think... we have a chance of getting out safely?"

Kotoko folded her arms and thought about it, "I'd like to say yes, but... Well, that might be lying to you... I think all we can do is our best. You know?"

"Hmhmhm.. Yes, that might be a good idea. If we can't escape... we can at least make our last moments worthwhile..." I agreed, putting my hands on the table in between us.

And that was my resolve. We weren't going to lie down and die.


	5. Taka Suzuha's Free Time Events

**Author's Note: The list of characters is provided for ease of the reader. This is the one warning you will receive: these free time events will be an attempt to expand upon both the character focused on and the world around them. And as we all know, it's a damned, dark place. Terrible, scarring subjects WILL be discussed, both real and fictional.**

 **These Free Time Events are obviously not required for the chapters afterwards. Consider them an aside and read at your leisure.**

 **Free Time Events with Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Out of all the people we were locked in here with, Taka was among the quieter ones. He didn't necessarily dislike spending time with us, but the other... more 'colourful' personalities tended to drown him out. A shame since he was one of the few sensible people here.

We had managed to find a small manga cafe tucked away a couple blocks from the hotel, and Taka and I both started going regularly. It was better than going alone; risking attacks from monsters or being murdered.

Naturally, we warned the others before we left; in case either of us played a deadly game of murder, too.

"I'm kind of sad not that many of us share hobbies," Taka said as we made our way down to the cafe some odd morning, "Manga's normally super popular in Japan for people our age..."

I thought about it, "They probably just want to go alone. Don't trust us. It's understandable, but... Well, it's unfortunate they think that way."

Taka smiled, adjusting his glasses, "I'm only here because I trust you, Naoya. Enough not to stab me... You're probably one of the weaker people here. No offense..."

"I could say the same. Though you're smarter than me, so maybe that's how you'd get me..." I decided to tease him back.

"Smarter..." He kept his eyes on the ground, "If that were so..."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "You're the Academic Prodigy, right? Aren't you smart?"

Taka shifted his gaze to the skyscrapers around us, "Whatever you say... Haha..."

"Are you not proud of it? A humble guy?" I asked, folding my arms and smirking at him.

"Y-yeah... You could say that. I'm not exactly... proud of the school I come from. So getting high marks... It's not for the sake of my future there..." He said this wistfully, a bit of trepidation on his tongue, "If... If you went to a school where your value was dictated by your grades, you'd become unconventional, too. I'm like this... to blend in, to hide."

That didn't sound good, "What? Did you get harassed over your grades?"

"S-something like that..." he said it softly, but I heard him. An awkward silence persisted between us.

I shrugged, "Then forget about it. For now, you're just Taka, the friend I read manga with. That's enough for me."

He didn't respond, and we eventually reached the cafe, that awkward silence between us.

In fact, we didn't talk again until we made our way back. I had a new manga from Toriyamo under my arm; after the world collapsed, he started up Dragon Sphere again with an all-new plot to help us forget that other adaptation... Dragon Sphere Great Tour or whatever...

"Taka?"

He shuffled a bit, a certain Highschool of the Brain Dead in his hands, "Oh, sorry... I was just... The author of this just died, so I wanted to get a collector's edition. If we live, this will go well in my collection."

I remembered that manga, "I'm still waiting on a follow up from somebody. Seriously, how many shows have matrix physics with zombies and breasts? Like, the plot was just getting decent, too..."

"I understand your frustration. I was enjoying it for the mindlessness of it at first, but then it started developing a semblance of a good story. And then the entire project gets put on hold..." He sounded annoyed about it, too, "There goes my middle school fantasies..."

I had to stop myself from laughing. For someone so serious, he certainly had an odd side to him, didn't he?

 **Free Time Event 2#**

"Another day, another grind..." I said to myself in the game room. We set up one of the rooms in the hotel with a bunch of game systems. Ryuu and Honoka insisted on making this so they could have people playtest their games. They had another room dedicated to computers, which they both used separately for twelve hours in the day, feverishly typing at the keyboard trying to make something worth presenting to the other.

The door behind me opened, and Taka stepped inside with Narutoya and Akira, "Naoya, good. We have our fourth." Akira said it so casually, as if it was obvious.

"Fourth?" I asked.

Narutoya rubbed his temple for a moment, "The 'boss' here wants to play Smash Sisters. Which, if I had to guess, is a title also produced by that Asai girl by now..."

Akira smirked, taking the cigarette out of her mouth and grinding it against her own wrist, "Ahhhh... Yeah, that burns. Let's go. Set up the Drii."

And that was how the four of us began playing. Akira was being undeniably savage as Little Mickey, beating us with fast moves and agile dodging. Narutoya settled on Firby, unleashing deadly attacks by eating everything in sight. Taka, surprisingly, was most adept at using Hanondork, the evil lord from that one series, Legend of Primo. Taka nicknamed it Legend of giving all the credit to some hostaged princess while we do all the real work, but I digress. I rolled with Marina, one of my favorite characters from Water Token; a stalwart girl who traveled through time. It didn't help; I got destroyed by everyone else. Guess that's what I get for not playing Nantendo consoles more...

Everyone left one by one. Narutoya rage quit first, and when Akira won, she was owed a foot massage. Taka and I remained behind to put everything back into its proper place.

"This is... you know, fun," Taka spoke for the first time we were alone as I placed the games back into the racks we had for them, "You know, as much as being hostages in a killing game can be."

I chuckled despite myself, "Really? This is that good? They kicked our asses. And talked shit the whole way through..."

Taka was organizing the chairs back into place, "It's the first time I've had a friend. It's...nice."

"You chose a real bad time to get attached to people," I shot back, trying to get him to remember the reality that was our situation, "Do you honestly believe this will be fine? That it won't end up being painful?"

"So what?"

My eyes opened when I heard how forcefully he said that, "Hm?"

"So what if it hurts more!? This is my chance to have a life... A life I made! A life I actually WANT!" Taka gripped the side of a chair, his hands straining as his emotions that he pent up released, "Why don't you just lock yourself up if you don't trust anyone!? If it's so bad, why play along!?"

"I'm being realistic," I rebuked him.

Taka shook his head, "No, you're being an asshole! This is why no one else walks with us! You're always saying things like this, all the time!"

I took a step back, unsure what would come of this.

"Just because you never had friends before this... doesn't mean you can ruin our fun, too!" Taka took a step towards me, uncharacteristic of him, "Gee, I wonder how _you_ ruined someone's life!?"

I wanted to shout. To scream. To tell him off. A million things flew through my mind. However, my body decided for me, a single tear running down my right cheek, falling into the carpet below me. Struggling not to sniffle, I turned and grabbed the door handle, throwing the door open and running out. If I said anything, if I stayed... I couldn't take it back. Not back then... Not now.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

The manga cafe, nearly past hours. I hadn't gone back. It had been two days, I think. I just stayed here, sleeping in the backroom. A designated sleeping area, how lucky for me... I kept the door locked during the night. During the day, I just kept quiet back there, hiding behind a wall of boxes, reading to myself. I was returning a bunch of books and reorganizing them before I locked up and went to sleep, but the door opened.

Taka stepped inside, alone, a single book in his arms. He was likely returning it.

"Naoya..." He said it as if he was dreaming, "You're... alive?"

I ignored him, putting the last of the manga I'd borrowed back in place. Facing towards the doorway to the backroom, I walked there in silence. I felt a hand grip my arm right as I reached the doorway.

"Naoya... Please... I'm sorry! I didn't... We were... Everyone thought you might have..." Taka couldn't force himself to say it. To say that they'd considered I would kill myself over something so petty.

I didn't look at him. I knew he might break into tears, and that would pain me to see, "It's better this way. I won't be poisoning the rest of you with my negativity..."

Taka grabbed me harder when I tried to move again, "Naoya! I didn't mean to be that cold to you! Look, I know that... You've got your reasons, and I didn't consider your feelings. Instead, I lashed out at you and said such hurtful things..."

"Not hurtful if it's true..." I replied with a hint of pain, "Taka... I'm an Ultimate Dreamer. What do you think that means?"

"...You dream, right? Vividly?"

I wanted to laugh at such a simplistic answer, "They're not always just... dreams. They contain visions, too. Like foresight... I didn't believe it at first. When I saw my mother get struck by a hit and run driver... Lying in the road, eventually choking on her own blood, my sight dying as an ambulance sped towards me from the intersection..."

Taka closed his mouth and struggled not to retch at the description I gave him, a description so vivid I could still hear the tires screech, the blood trickling down my arms. I could feel the ribs puncturing my kidney, the silent screams in my head.

"That's my life. My dreams are usually wonderful, beautiful. I get to see new places, meet people... I get to experience some of the best parts of life through the eyes of others..." I held out both of my hands, "Sometimes it's people I know. Or strangers. Sometimes it's through fictional worlds, even... But whenever someone close to me nears death... I dream of it. And I live it. And I... feel... it," I clenched my hands into fist. I was weary, from a lack of proper nutrition and from the nightmares I'd had, "And the nightmares I've had... About you. About Kotoko. And Shiori. Everyone here. I can't tell if they're real or just potential deaths at this time... Whether it's my talent or my damaged psyche..."

Taka hugged me in this moment, holding me close. I wanted to say more, but he coaxed me to quiet myself, "Naoya... I'm sorry. All this time, you've been suffering, and I didn't notice... I'm not much of a friend, am I?"

I struggled to choke back tears when he said that, "Friend...? Since when...?"

"Naoya... I'm sorry. Please... Come back to the hotel... We've been worried... We've missed you!" He looked up into my eyes, his glasses falling to the side on his arms that gripped mine, "I want you back!"

"...Fine." I couldn't stop my voice from cracking a little, "I'll return... But... These dreams, they won't stop..."

"Then I'll stay by your side... Alright?" He offered, giving me a gentle smile, "Even if it's just me... I'll stay for you, okay?"

Finally breaking into a smile myself, I nodded, "A promise is a promise, Suzuha. Don't let me down."

Taka lifted his glasses back onto his face and gave me a thumbs up, "Understood, Naoya. I won't... let you down again."

 **Free Time Event 4#**

About a week had gone by. My outlook on life hadn't really improved. The nightmares were consistent, but my friends had been helping me through them. It was another trip to the manga cafe. Some others had joined us at different times, but Taka and I were up early and decided to make the trip.

"And that's why Ryuu's mad at Honoka this time... That's not exactly sabotage, but..." I was laughing and discussing the last conversation I'd had with the game makers and their 'couple management' I sometimes had to partake in.

Taka shook his head, "Seriously, man? Honoka... She's changed a lot, hasn't she? Haha!"

I agreed, "We all have, I think... Maybe we're more hopeful..."

"A buzz word considering our circumstances," Taka joked, "I'll say though... This is still less stress-inducing than the last school I went to."

"You've only mentioned it offhandedly before. What was it like if it was that bad?" I asked, somewhat concerned. Worse than a killing game?

Taka shuddered, "It's uh... Hard to put into words. The old academy I went to wasn't in Japan. When everything went awry, and Ultimate Despair wiped out the government here, people on the islands of Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku split off, remember?"

I did indeed. I was living in Kyushu. They established an emergency government and used their fleets to subjugate many of the smaller islands. My father actually served, in Okinawa, and further south in Malaysia and other battles there. We remained a military district until the main island, Honshu, reestablished control five years ago.

Shikoku, on the other hand, was ravaged by the war. Even more so than Honshu, due to its isolation from the mainland, it suffered inextricably.

"Yeah... I do. Hokkaido made itself an empire, didn't it?" Hokkaido had a new leader arise to manage the chaos, and he used his might to subdue the island. After fighting through rebels, warlords, and miscreants abusing the chaos to rise to power, the Hokkaido Emperor seized the Koreas, Manchuria, and much of the eastern Chinese sea board in the aftermath. China had collapsed when Despair manifested throughout many of its smaller, more isolated villages. Every instability was exploited to the full extent Despair could encourage.

Taka sighed, "Well, I lived on Sakhalin Island. Formerly owned by Russia, just north of Hokkaido. We lost contact early on. For the entire four years that the Despair War raged, we believed all hope was lost. That everyone else had died. We established a new, strict regime; school systems based on academics. Those who failed to perform were forced into manual labor camps to provide for the intellectual elite..."

"Sounds damn near dystopian..." I'd heard of similar countries rising in the aftermath. Some were cruel, others were dysfunctional. From the New California Republic to the Anti-European Union Coalition that started in Greece, the world's makeup was forever changed. Casualties from the Despair War numbered a staggering four billion, primarily in the developing nations. We were thankful to have any civilization left by now.

"It got... worse. Japan has been having population issues for a long time. The younger generation has too little time for love, for relationships, for family. Our island's population was stagnating; that's when the cruel laws came into play..." Taka stopped speaking for a moment, "Men who failed to perform academically were forced to become eunuchs. Their 'impure' genes wouldn't be allowed to be passed on. Women who failed the academic programs... They became... Have you heard of comfort women?"

I realized the implications immediately. Comfort women... That was a really fucked up practice from World War 2. Japan would offer jobs to young women in conquered places like the Koreas, Malaysia, the Philippines, offering work in factories. By the end of the week, they were shipped as human cattle for the Japanese military to partake in as they pleased.

"So they forced girls with academic issues to work like breeding mules!?" I could scarcely believe what he was telling me, but... Fuck. We had seen what Despair did to people, to each other. Starvation, disease spreading, cooking humans, desecrating the dead, setting up children bombs... Of course if people were desperate enough they might resort to such barbaric tactics...

Taka stopped walking, "It was... It was bad. I didn't... I became how I am out of necessity. I didn't want to be disfigured, to be thrown away..."

I reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Taka, please... Don't. You don't have to force yourself any more. I get it... I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I...cheated."

"What?"

He started tearing up, "I cheated, okay? I'm not some prodigy... I'm just the Ultimate Cheater... My accomplice and I, we'd steal the tests. Rig them, or record their answers. We cheated to get our way through that damned program... I'm not some genius. I'm a fraud."

"Hell no!" I grabbed his hand in mine, "You didn't make the grades, so what!? Cheating is its own kind of smartness, isn't it? And you did it with someone, right? That means you're just a good friend, a survivor! You're not fake... Not to me."

Taka wiped his eyes clean, "You mean that, Naoya?"

I let his hand go and placed it against my chest, "Damn right I do. Why should I blame you for rigging a system like that? What you went through, that's... That's so fucked up."

Taka struggled not to tear up anymore, "Naoya, I... Just... Thank you! Thank you!"

"What're you thanking me for?" I pushed him away, blushing, "It's what friends do. You have them now. Let's hurry up before Honoka spreads rumors again!"

"Right!" Taka and I headed off down to the cafe. I felt as if we'd grown considerably closer today.

However, a part of me wanted to know... How did Taka ruin a person's life? And... What happened to him? Who ruined his life?

 **Free Time Event 5#**

That question burrowed into my mind for everyone. Whose life did any of us ruin? Who ruined our lives? Was it just a malicious lie on Monokuma's part, or was it a half-truth that he liked to use all the time?

Apparently I wasn't the only person curious about that, as I'd discover today.

Taka and I were down at the manga cafe, laughing and sharing some coffee. Eventually, though, he got quiet, and this usually meant he was thinking about something. However, this time the silence persisted longer than usual.

"Taka? Something wrong?" I asked.

Taka appeared to be startled from his revelry, "Oh, sorry! I was just... You know, what Monokuma said... About our lives being ruined... I'm scared to find out if I actually did do something..."

I thought to myself for a moment. He feels guilty for something he may not have even done? Hm.

"Did you ever fuck someone over?" I asked it plainly, "When you were in that program, did you ever sabotage someone's grades or lie to them? That's the only thing that comes to mind..."

"I don't... know. I just know... what ruined my life," he said glumly.

I thought on that, "I honestly... Lots of things have happened to me. A lot of shitty things, too. It's hard for me to pinpoint the... 'worst' one."

Taka placed his hands on the table, "I remember... I told you before. A friend of mine, Satsuki... She and I cheated to survive. We became quite proficient at it, and... We started helping others, too. Anyone we could save, we did. We did this for just over two years. We were juniors in high school when... When..."

"Did you get caught?"

"No... No. She did. And instead of selling me out, she refused to talk. And they... they decided to make a spectacle out of it. Called an assembly and..." Taka slammed his fist as hard as he could onto the table, "She died that day. Her body was alive, but the life in her was gone... They ruined her. So... So that night, I decided to use what I'd learned by cheating effectively. I created a chemical concoction. And I used it on that fucking hellhole..." Taka sighed, adjusting his glasses, "I gassed the ventilation systems. The air conditioning spread it. Nearly three hundred people died... The teachers, the program instructors... the students I loathed, that thrived on that system..."

It clicked, "Then you ruined someone's life here with that."

Taka growled, "And that concerns me! If I harmed someone here... then they must have profited from that system! And if I find them... I'll... I'll-"

"Taka!" He looked up at me when I yelled, "Calm yourself. If you give in to Monokuma's motive, then what!?" He sighed, realizing how heated he'd gotten, how pointless it was, "And even if they did benefit... You did, too."

"What!?"

"You cheated. You let others fall for how long? You could have helped more people; done something more," I critiqued his selfish behaviour as critically as I could manage the courage to, "Maybe you could have taken the blame. Admitted to forcing Satsuki to do it. But instead, you hid. You were afraid, and then you committed a horrible crime. What if someone innocent died? What if a single person there was just 'surviving' like you?"

Taka's head hit the table as he let out a scream, "I know! I understand that I... I warned my friends, those closest to me, but... But not... not everyone I poisoned deserved it... I know that! But I was in pain... And I couldn't let it go!"

I stood up, "You played the bystander and killed others for doing the same. Do you really think the victim you made deserves any worse? Are you that selfish!?"

"...No... No, I'm... I should just forget it," He slumped back in his seat, "I'm shaking now... Just like then. I retched and cried for days after what I did... What had I done!? What had I become!? Am I... a monster, Naoya? Like Despair? Do I deserve... to die in this game?"

"I can't answer that for you," I dryly responded, "Taka, look. If I were in your position... I might have done that, too. And I can look past that for our friendship. Please... Don't destroy yourself over this. You know it was wrong. You've tried to move on... You've cared for everyone here in your own way..." I put my hand on his, "Alright? We're here..."

Taka nodded, tears falling down the side of his face again, "Y-yeah... Thank you, Naoya... I'm glad I have someone like you to confess this all to... The guilt was crushing me..."

Painful memories came to mind for me when he said that, "Is that s-so? Guilt, huh?"

I found myself staring down at my own hands. Guilt, that feeling of knowing you'd done wrong. For some, it motivated them to undo the damage. For others, they drowned their sorrow in bottles, or medications, or adrenaline seeking...

How did my guilt affect me?

...I pushed the thoughts away. That wasn't important. Playing into that mindset was what Monokuma wanted. What I did would stay in the past. It had to...

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Studious Mind". Taka has confessed his darkest actions to you and enlightened you on the pain he has endured. This skill increases your influence gauge by 5.**

 **You have been awarded Taka's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	6. Michi no Cheisa's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Today was going to be different. Today, Michi wanted to go investigate the upper floors of the hotel. Sho had come down with a nasty cold, so he was locked in his room. Sho asked me of all people to escort Michi since he felt he could trust me. Pretty thoughtful... for a total stoner.

Michi wasn't as timid as she acted. I noticed this that morning...

"Let's go, Naoya!" She huffed at me, "Stop taking so loooong!"

I waved to her weakly, slowly walking up the stairs behind her, "I am, I am... Don't rush. Upstairs isn't going anywhere. And the longer we're not murdering people, the better our chances of rescue."

Michi rolled her eyes, "We don't have to wait for safety if we just find a way out ourselves!"

Finally reached the third floor with her, I shrugged, "If we find anything of note. I doubt we'll get out of the city from a hotel."

"There might be a helicopter access on the roof. And if we're lucky, we might find one. If they don't expect us to get it working, well... I'm certain we'll learn real quick!" She said excitedly, running ahead into the hall in front of me.

I had to admit, that was a simplistic expectation from her, childish even, but it made my heart feel light. She was an innocent person for a forensic expert.

"Are you this spirited when you solve murders?" I asked, trudging behind her at a steady pace.

Michi stopped moving, frozen in the middle of her strides. She rotated to face me and asked, "How do you know that... That I'm a..."

I chuckled, "Oh? Well, Kojiro recognized you and told his apprentice Shiori to keep it under wraps. And she blabbed to Kotoko and I right quick."

"...Hrm! Don't tell anyone, okay!? Sho's worried that people might target me for that..." She said it as if it was an annoyance... And not a threat on her own life.

"I'm hiding information for other people, too," I admitted, "Nothing... dramatic or evil. Just... information that might encourage an unfortunate reaction."

Michi walked up to me, "Do you promise, swear on your life, so help me Kyouko?"

I put fingers to my brows, my patience waning, "Did you just swear on the Ultimate Detective like a deity?"

"Promise!" Michi insisted, putting a finger on my chest.

"I, Naoya Himura, do solemnly swear not to disclose your talent to anyone," I held my hand over my heart, "So help me Kyouko Kirigiri."

She glared at me for a few seconds before opening her mouth again, "Alright. I believe you..."

I rolled my eyes, "You trust too easily. Let's keep looking, alright?"

Michi nodded, and we made our way up to the fifth floor, only to find the roof access stairwell blocked off by a door. A number read Sixteen on it, and we told the others about it. We may not have found a way to escape, but Michi finally opened up to me, even a little bit.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Sho was still sick later that week, so Michi and I headed down to the manga cafe for some coffee and a nice chat. She had hers black, completely untouched, and mine was filled with sugar, cream, the works.

"Are you a kid?" She teased when I sat down, eyeing the whipped cream atop my concoction, "That's not very healthy for you."

I rolled my eyes and started drinking, getting a whipped cream mustache, "Don't lecture me on health. Caffeine is an addiction."

Michi quietly sipped hungrily on her own coffee, trying not to look me in the eyes. Point proven, "So... Naoya... You're the Dreamer, right?"

"You want to know what I dream about, right?" I sighed. I hated talking about it; I wasn't ashamed. It was just... painful at times, "It's a bit like foresight at times, fantasy on the other. I'll experience things through other people's eyes. Sometimes in fictional worlds... sometimes ours."

Michi's eyes widened at the thought, "Woooow... That must be so cool!"

I grimaced, "The opposite. Whenever someone I know, that I care for... If they die, I dream it the night before. And it's... vivid."

"...Naoya, th-that's..."

"My mother was the first one," I added, giving her a serious look of remorse, "And I couldn't prevent it... I tried to warn her, but... No one believes a six year old, right?"

Michi gave me a crestfallen look, but I had to continue. She asked, "Naoya... You're crying."

I wiped the tear out of my eye, "Sorry... I just... When the world went to shit..." I remembered those days vividly. I lived life through the eyes of the original Killing Game participants. The ones I knew. My first crush, the idol Maizono... My hero, the baseball star Kuwata who killed her... "I've lost a... a lot of people. So much that I can't even say which event would be caused by someone here... if that's true."

"I'm certain it is," she announced matter-of-factly, "I distinctly remember mine. I was on the trail of one of my greatest foes... A serial killer named Lorraine. He was notorious among criminal syndicates."

I'd heard of that name, of course. Lorraine was a legend. Only Genocider Shou had a higher kill count, and it was rumored that Lorraine had pursued and tried to kill her at several points in their careers. Lorraine was a ruthless, cold-blooded killer. They dressed up their victims quite fancifully.

"Why were you after him? Hell, even his victim list isn't publicized..." I remembered a few were leaked. A businessman, an ex-politician, a surviving general from World War Two..

Michi's face grew ferocious, the thought flushing her with rage, "Because... The bastard killed my mother!"

Well, shit. "I'm sorry, Michi."

"It's fine... It's why I joined forensic analysis. I managed to get an eye on him, gave the officers a description. When they didn't catch him, I decided to shadow him myself. And through that journey, I found countless other criminals... Those taking advantage of the chaos of Despair... Those from before, and even those after... I pursued Lorraine through it all," Michi explained, a serious look as she slammed her fist on the table ecstatic, "If Monokuma was telling me the truth... Lorraine is here, I know it!"

Jokingly, I answered her, "Well, if they are, we'll catch them together. I promise."

Her eyes lit up, "Really, Naoya!? Yay! I knew I could count on you!" She grabbed ahold of me cheerfully while I just lamented having such a big dumb mouth. Seeing her smile like that, though... Maybe it was worth the headache.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Michi and I were seated in the cafe again. She was pouring over books that discussed the building of the city, trying to find escape routes and alternative paths through the city. I was going to help, but she insisted I just needed to keep watch. She worked better alone, she said.

Eventually, she set the book down and sipped from her still hot coffee that I'd made for her, "Well, I'm done. And most of these routes... They'll be useful. If our numbers drop. Whoever designed this game, they knew the city's layout better than this book, even." Michi was forlorn; once again her hopes had been raised and then let down.

I thought on that, "Does that tell you who it could be? Is it really Towa Corp responsible?"

Michi sighed, "Monaca was summoned to Hope's Peak. If she went MIA, they should have noticed sooner. We've been here a while now..."

"That might be what you get trusting someone like her..." I sourly commented, "But even if it wasn't her... Who else could pull this off? And that would be evil enough to do this?"

"Can't say. The old world had a lot of monsters in it," Michi thought about her past, "Like Lorraine. And if he's still active, who knows about the rest, too..."

I leaned back in my chair, arms folded behind my head as I stared up at the white tile ceiling, "That serial killer, right... Michi, what will you do? If he's actually here?" She gave me a curious look, "Like, do you want to kill them?"

Michi calmly stated, "And lose my life, too? I won't throw my life away for revenge like that." She drank another sip from her drink, "We have to let things go. I'm more worried about who I hurt..."

"...Yeah. Who we hurt... That may be our biggest fear right now. That paranoia seeps into us, controls us..." I said this knowing full well something many of the others didn't.

"Do you wonder?" She was gazing at me, monitoring my reaction, "What it is that you did?"

I awkwardly chuckled, "Haha... Don't... Don't we all? I wish I knew..." I decided to distract her, "So, you never told me how being a forensic analyst is."

Michi's eyes sparkled, but she managed to control her excitement, "It was... scary. Terrifying, and visceral, and surreal... People's lives depended on me. People's innocence depended on me. I solved countless cases, but... Well, they never stopped coming in the world we're in now. The vestigial Despair left in people's hearts clings on..."

Some people had formed death cults that roamed the world, hoping to sow chaos where they could. These groups would try to incite another Fall, as they called it. Future Foundation's ex-leader, Kyosuke Munakata, ruthlessly hunted them down in his search for the last Ultimate Despair. The one who, unlike their Jabberwock counterparts, hadn't repented.

"There was only one string of murders I never was around for," Michi answered after a pause, "Some group started killing girls indiscriminately when I was about eleven, just before the world fell. I tracked them down through multiple killings, but... I couldn't nab them. They were slain before I got the chance."

"Killed?" I asked, the thought sent shivers down my spine.

Michi nodded, "Yeah... Vigilante justice, the rumors were. It's the one case other than Lorraine's I never solved... But I know now. I mentioned them in passing, and someone here confessed to knowing the truth."

I asked, "They know who did it?"

"Mhmm. They said that they did it," Michi's eyes dulled, only so minutely that I could barely tell, "I fear that might be how I ruined their life. Not catching the guys before it happened..."

"Someone here killed them?"

She nodded, "I promised not to tell. But I'm scared; what if my failures is how I ruined their lives!? What should I do..."

I shook my head, "Do they know your talent?" She shook her head, "Then it'll be fine. And even if they do, say it was just hearsay. Don't implicate yourself."

"But is it right to lie to them? Because I was slow, their lover was murdered!" That's when it clicked for me who she meant.

"Shinji, then. The oldest person among us, besides maybe Akira," I sighed, thinking how badly this might go, "Whatever you do, do not tell him until this game is over. Okay? For your own safety, and ours..."

Michi and I sat in silence for a long while after that, the anxiousness in our hearts growing by the second...

 **Free Time Event 4#**

Michi and I were together again in the lounge. We had started having daily chats with the others, but today we were alone. Sho was befriending some other people, and it seemed Michi might be a wee bit jealous about that fact.

"He can do what he wants..." Michi said it, expelling air from her chest, "I'm not upset. Not at all."

I chuckled, "You like him, huh? That's cute."

Michi's face was a beet red, "Hey! Don't just say that! What if someone hears!?"

"Sorry," I took a sip from my drink again, "I need to find amusement somehow."

"Naoya... Do you... Do you know why you're here?" I stopped mid sip, "Whose life you ruined... Who ruined yours?"

I trembled, nearly dropping my cup. I felt a darkness rise within me, one that plagued my thoughts, "I know whose life I may have had a hand in ruining. But I can't say. I can't think about it... It's not fair, not to me, to them... And it just makes me want to die."

She cocked her head, "Does this have something to do with your dreams?"

"...Okay... I'll explain it..." I downed the rest of my drink, "But this never leaves here. If I tell someone, it's on my terms, Okay?" She nodded, "I was about seven or eight at a traditional elementary school. Most of my classmates were normal, but one had a talent. Even back then, they had it. And one night, not long after my mother... After she died... I had a nightmare. A nightmare as... as them."

"How'd you know it was them?"

I felt my lips quiver when I hesitated, "I recognized something they brought to school with them in their room. And they... Well, they suffered horribly in that nightmare. And I never told anyone. I kept my mouth shut."

She put her drink down, "Naoya... That's... You were just a child..."

"I wish I could believe that... If I had said something, anything... I could have saved them..." I clenched my teeth, trying to expel the anger and pain and guilt I felt in a torrent of physical pressure, "I was a scared kid... I played the bystander. And whenever I think of that... and then I see them, their smiling face... I want to die... I want someone to kill me for what I did."

"Naoya..." I looked up at her, "You can't go and die. You should be honest with them. Tell them what happened, how you feel... Everything."

I closed my eyes, "Nothing's that easy..."

Michi frowned, "Naoya, you need to. If you don't admit it, you'll just feel worse. And neither of you will be able to move on from it."

I knew that she was right. I knew it, but it was hard to think about, to agree to do. I sighed, "Michi, I... I'll do it. Okay? Just promise me that... that if anything happens to me... You'll protect the person I hurt for me."

She nodded, "I promise you. I swear by the name of Kirigiri herself." She did that odd salute she did before, earning a smirk from me.

I teased, "That still looks stupid. Why would Sho date a nerd like you?"

"Hey!" She started swatting at the air in front of me, "Meany!"

"Kidding, kidding..." I assured her, "I think you'll be good together."

Michi paused, "Really!? You ship us!?"

I rolled my eyes, "Please don't say it like that..." She cheered happily to my chagrin. Caffeine really set her off, didn't it?

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Michi and I were in her room. She had asked to do my measurements. Apparently, she was planning to get me something from the market when it opened up, but wouldn't tell me what clothes it would be.

"Seriously, what is this? A tuxedo? Some weird BDSM outfit?" I was joking at her expense already, and she just pouted angrily at me before continuing, "Is it wrong for me to be curious?"

Michi glared at me again, "Would you let me work?" I nodded, and she finished doing the measurements, "Okay, good. I have an idea for what we'll do but... Hm."

"How'd talking with Shinji go?" I decided to bite the bullet.

"What would you expect?" She asked, a particular snarky reply, "He said he'd not murder me for it, but he needed time to himself."

My expression changed, "Hey, that's pretty good. Better than what I was expecting."

Michi looked at me warily, "What were you expecting?"

I ignored the image in my head of me standing over her grave with the tombstone reading; 'Should have stayed out of the way.'

"N-nothing in particular... Just something more volatile, I guess," I decided to sidestep the truth just a smidgen.

"Thankfully, that wasn't the case," she answered quietly, "...Naoya, do you have any leads on Lorraine?"

I shrugged, "I have a suspect in mind, but nothing conclusive."

She eyed me, "Whom are you thinking of?"

"Honestly, Lorraine was able to avoid forensic experts like yourself and hunt serial killers like Genocide Jack? I suspect Kojiro; the only person to understand both criminals and police procedure," I admitted, "Not that I think he could be a serial killer, but it's all I have to go off of."

Michi pouted, folding her arms, "Him, no way... That would be too easy, too simple. No... Maybe it's you. Did you go to school with me?" She was teasing me, probably, but I didn't answer, thinking to myself, "Hey, I'm trying to make you laugh... Do you ever smile?"

I wanted to be offended by that, but she had a point, "Sorry... It's just... Our situation, and... I'll try to smile more," I smiled at her, and she just laughed, "H-hey, what's so funny!?"

"You look like a Ken doll with that plastic grin... It's got to be more natural, or it'll just look ridiculous," she said between laughs at my expense, clutching her side.

Putting a hand on my hip, I frowned, "Well, that's just plain rude."

She smirked, "It's fine. I'm just glad to have someone who reacts to my jokes more than a... 'Far out, maaaan'. Sho's lovable, but he's not that fun to tease."

I clapped my hands together, "So you do love him! Knew it!"

"Hey!" She nearly shouted, "Don't say that!"

"...Fine. So, Miss Forensic. Are you going to be bailing us out of the inevitable trials or no?" I decided to inquire her opinion the game we found ourselves in.

She contemplated it, "I said I wouldn't kill... I guess I should do my best to solve the cases, but... Hey, I know! I'll give my info to you and then everyone will think you're the super smart detective guy!"

I deadpanned, "You're using me as bait?"

"Is that bad?" she genuinely asked that. How the hell did she not know already!?

"Kind of, but I'll allow it," I admitted begrudgingly, "If it'll keep my friend safe, sure."

Michi smiled and jumped towards me, hugging me, "Thank you, Naoya! I'll do my best, okay!?"

I nodded, patting her orange hair gently, "You better."

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Deft Touch". Michi has confessed her faith in you and has decided to support you with her all. This skill increases sharpness by 5, allowing you to cut through arguments easier.**

 **You have been awarded Michi's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	7. Kicho Taika's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Kicho was a beautiful woman, but that made her all the more unapproachable. Imagine my surprise when she asked me to join her on an excursion through the city. I secretly told Kotoko in case I disappeared, though. Everybody knew the most beautiful rose had the sharpest thorns.

She greeted me with a bow, wearing a light blue kimono that accentuated her beautiful, blue hair. She was gorgeous, practically a model all her own. Maizono would be jealous if she knew...

"Thank you for agreeing to accompany me, Himura-Kun." She smiled when I bowed in return, "Your politeness is appreciated."

I did my best to smile, "Of course. As a store manager, your work in the business industry is exemplary. You deserve due respect," I then asked, "What should I refer to you as? I don't wish to be rude."

Kicho smiled, "Taika-chan is fine. I have grown to like that."

"Honoka sure warmed up to you, didn't she?" I laughed, thinking back on their first few days together.

"Yes, she finds me fun to be around," She sighed, "Though I wonder sometimes what motivates her..."

I shrugged, "Honoka likes people. Especially mature ladies like you." It felt insincere, but I knew she liked compliments. Even if they were blatant pandering.

She frowned at me, "Oh, please... Enough. I don't mean the sweet talking, but sometimes a rougher countenance wouldn't hurt the ones around me. I'm not some perfect doll to be handled with care."

"Well damn, girl," I smirked, "Have it your way."

"You underestimate the sailor mouth I have alone," Taika talked as we headed out to a small shopping district we'd found. It was mostly blocked off, but we had a clothing store and a ramen shop. Nice, huh?

I laughed, "Then may I see what your mouth can do?" I wished I'd not said that.

Kicho, however, was a good sport, "Ohoho... Speaking like Honoka... Don't get me excited now..." She had this alluring voice when she spoke like that. She was just kidding, right?

"Okay, enough mischief. You wanted to find clothes, correct?"

"Yes, I need more things to wear. Most of what I prepared was for ceremonial and presentation purposes. Now I just need something more casual to wear," she admitted openly, a little embarrassed.

I laughed, "Alright. But don't expect me to give great advice. I'm not a clothes guy... I think."

She nodded, and we eventually had an enjoyable time, her searching for clothes and me wisecracking. Kicho... Something about her let me bring my guard down. She had a way with words, somehow...

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Kicho was certainly an odd member of our group. Some times, she was a debonair sweet-talker. Other times, she had all the subtlety of a drunken sailor in the back of a brothel. Today, she came off as thoughtful, as if something of great interest happened.

"Tell me, Naoya..." She always used me to bounce off some random ideas. She considered me the 'blank slate' of the group. I didn't think that was meant to be a compliment, but I pretended that it was, "What do you think about our current situation?"

I shrugged, "Frankly, it's awful. It could be worse. We could be killed by roaming Monokumas or killed without a chance to fight."

She smirked, approving of my answer, "Quite observant of you. Many of the others, they lament our situation. That it's hopeless or unfair... They don't even begin to understand the meaning of those words." Her tone took a harsh bent at the end. I decided to not step on that landmine.

"They're scared. It's a natural reaction," I tried to redirect her focus, "Thankfully, we have leaders to keep us on the right path like you."

"Do you actually mean that or are you just brown-nosing again?" She asked seriously; that hint of sarcasm vacant from her question.

I nodded, "I do mean that, Kicho. You're collected, together. Not everyone here holds their temper like you," I shook my head, "Your talent is yours for a reason."

She turned away, "You believe in that, huh? Guess someone would..."

"... Kicho, is there something wrong?" I asked, concerned for her.

"No, it's... It's nothing I should burden you with," Her expression turned sour, "Perhaps I'll explain it one day."

I nodded, understanding that it must be hard for her, whatever it was, "Then I'll tell you a story about me. My talent is dreaming, remember?" She gave a nod of confirmation, "So this one time, I dreamed I was some extreme sports guy... He had this 'brilliant' plan to try and slide down the pole under the lookout's nest of a boat. Not too dangerous, right? Nope. At night, during a storm. And he didn't bring a safety harness, either."

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Kicho was quite friendly to us when it called for it, but she could also be quite harsh when she felt necessary. She really was the leader we needed, kind and cold in equal measure.

She asked me one day to walk with her through the city. I felt a little subconscious, like we were on a date or something. Obviously, she just wanted some time away from the occasional drama at the hotel.

I opened up a conversation, wanting to gauge her feelings, "So Taika-chan..."

"You can call me by my first name. You have a habit of doing that," she calmly replied.

"Kicho..." I laughed to myself, "Fine, if you want."

Kicho held an arm under her chin, "Do you ever wonder what we're here for?"

I scratched my head, "In the game?"

"No, no. Life in general," she piqued my curiosity now, "I guess you could say that I'm waxing philosophically ever since we've gotten forced into this game."

"That's an... interesting pastime," Hey, I couldn't judge. Brooding was my thing, "It's fun to think about but I've never found a satisfying answer. Not one that answers all of my questions..."

Kicho gave a slight chuckle, "That's how most people think on it. I suppose it's easier to be contemplative when life doesn't overwhelm us."

I nodded, "Yeah, you're not one to be overwhelmed. You learned stress management getting your talent, correct?"

"Indeed. My work as a store manager was... interesting to say the least," she said this with some chagrin, "I never truly understood the sheer potential of human stupidity until I had to manage people in the service industry."

I couldn't disagree with that, "Sounds about right, really. That bad, huh?"

She frowned, "The worst... I've had very few times in my life I felt such anger towards anyone."

"You do have a temper, sometimes..." I knew that what I said might not have been the smartest, but it was true.

"I suppose I might," she softly spoke, "You know... I think about my first love at times like this."

My eyebrow raised, "First love?"

We continued walking, the wind the only sound accompanying our conversation, "Yes... The person here that ruined my life."

"...R-really?"

"I used to run a telemarketing business on the side," she admitted, "I met Narutoya through that, and we fell in love."

Damn. I didn't see that one coming, "But he's never mentioned knowing you. I... You two even act like strangers."

Her face curled into a frown, "I'm aware. It's why I needed this time away. He ruined my life... Took our business from me and cheated with an associate of ours..."

"Is that bad enough to ruin your life?" Now that, that I shouldn't have said.

"That bastard broke my heart... Took my hard work, profited off of it. I opened my heart to trust him, and he just..." her hands shook as she recalled the event with great clarity, "And worst of all, he claimed that I was the one who tried to betray him, to break his heart... Being here has just torn that old wound open."

I couldn't understand why Narutoya did what he did, but it wasn't okay, regardless, "Then screw him. You're a wonderful woman, Kicho. If he doesn't see that, he doesn't need to concern you."

She looked up at me, "You only mean that because of my beauty..."

"Yeah, right," I rolled my eyes, "I'd compliment you on more than that. Like your business sense, your kind nature, your leadership abilities. But that'd feel hollow. I'll just say that I'd have loved to be given a chance with someone like you."

Kicho's eyes watered, "You mean that?"

I nodded, blushing a little, "Y-yeah... But that's... Now's not the time for concerns like that, haha... Uh... At least we know you don't need revenge," she gave me a curious look, "I mean... Narutoya's not the best person, but killing him over that... I doubt you'd waste your life on him."

"You are right... I've already wasted more than enough time and tears on him," she nodded to herself, saying it more for her benefit than mine, "I don't need to waste anything on him now."

It was in that resolve that we finished our walk and headed back. Now I just had to pretend like nothing had changed between Narutoya and I.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

"Narutoya... He's changed since I last met him," Kicho said this to me when we were spending time at the manga cafe. Michi and Taka were in the backroom, talking excitedly over spoilers in a manga they both enjoyed.

I sipped from my drink, "That so?"

"Narutoya used to be so driven, so calculated. He had dreams, he had a plan, he knew where he was going," She didn't have that usual harshness whenever she discussed him, "He seems... broken. Lost. Like..."

"Like someone ruined his life?" I decided to be real with her, "Someone here must have done something to him, if Monokuma's to be believed..."

Kicho folded her arms, "And that's the problem. I want to know who did it. Who hurt him in such a way... And why and how..."

"You want payback?"

"What!? No! I just... Well, I'm just... I feel something for him. Against my better judgment," she snarked.

I shook my head, "You don't have to feel bad for feeling empathy towards him. If you loved someone, that might not really go away. And if that's how you feel, it's fine."

Kicho sighed, "Perhaps you have a point... Have you ever been in love, Naoya? Know what that feels like?"

"Oh... Uh, no... N-not really..." I awkwardly laughed, hoping I could defuse the situation, "I've not given that kind of thing much thought, really."

"Well, if you ever do, you should make sure I'm the first to know. I want to congratulate you... And perhaps judge them. They better be up to the standards I expect you to have," I laughed a little, but she seemed serious. Oh boy...

"This may not be under the best of circumstances, but this hasn't been all bad," she was confident in what she said, "We've met some interesting people and connected to them. I just hope this game doesn't tear us apart..."

She was worried about the future, too? Of course she would be. She had foresight, unlike some of our more innocent or simple-minded companions. Not that I meant that in a derogatory way. A part of me wished to be a little more ignorant, a little more faithful in others. Every time I tried, though, that nagging little voice in the back of my head whispered sick thoughts; of murder, of betrayal. How we'd all die horribly.

"Naoya?" I gave her my attention, "Well?"

"Did you ask me something? I spaced out," I admitted, feeling bad about it, "Just... This game concerns me."

She asked again, "If the game does escalate, what role would you play for us?"  
I hadn't really thought that far ahead, "I mean... I don't really know. I'm not going to kill anyone, if that's what you mean."

"Certain? Even if you find the person who ruined your life?" I nodded, "That's quite strong-willed of you. I hope we all have the fortitude to rise above our instincts."

"You think it's instinctual to want revenge?"

Kicho tried to explain, "Not instinctual, but... Violence is. Feeling in control of our lives is what we like, and if murder is the only way to do that, to put that power back in our hands... Well, it's a temptation for some."

She wasn't wrong, "I hope we... That our friendship can overcome that, but... I have no idea what sick motives Monokuma would implement."

"I feel the same," she assured me, a gentle smile soothing my anxiety, if just barely, "Let us continue to do our best. For the others, right?"

"Definitely..." I couldn't have agreed more.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Kicho and I had grown close, and we were spending time at the cafe on another 'date'. I liked her, but I didn't feel... that way for her. She and Narutoya had been trying to patch things between them, but the rift was still great.

Kicho asked, "Naoya. I have to tell you something."

"Shoot," I said casually, sipping from my drink.

"After so much time we've spent together, and with the others... I think I may have found the person whose life I ruined," Kicho said this so calmly, like it wasn't that important.

I exclaimed, "Really!? Who!? I mean... You don't have to say, of course. But that's... That's a start, I think."

Kicho nodded in agreement, "I think so, too. The person in question is Honoka."

"...Wow, really? Whatever for?"

"She was one of H-List's greatest contributors. Her games were market successes. Even when Despair hit, people bothered to download her games," She remembered this fondly, "I never met her directly, of course. She likely doesn't know I ran the store as its representative."

I nodded, "Yeah, makes sense. She'd just see you as the company, not the person. They don't send out every detail on who's running it, do they?"

She tapped her finger against the side of her tea cup, "My folly was in that position. Honoka tried to expand, to create a game for kids. She had a strong message for it, too. It was for everyone who'd lost something important to them. The game was light enough that kids could love, but dark enough that adults would find a whole other meaning in it."

"That actually sounds pretty cool," I liked games that had varying themes, especially contrasting ones, "Why didn't you go with it?"

"I told her she had her place in the market," She drank from her cup before continuing, "I wanted her to stick to what was safe. This would have been an experiment, a risk. In trying to encourage her not to shake things up during such a volatile time in the world..." Her lip trembled, "I said things I can't undo. Not in person, but written. And they were cruel, vicious, malicious words."

I knew that Kicho sometimes used tough love. I also knew Honoka was a headstrong individual, "So you tried to guide her to stick with familiarity, she refused, and you eventually lashed out at her?" I tried to imagine it in my head. It was easy to picture, but certainly less than pleasant.

Kicho set her cup down, "She replied that she meant it from her soul. That it was a metaphor for her own loss of her parents in the Despair War... And I said... I said, 'Dead parents won't sell your game. Pity won't. Why would people find deeper meaning in the work of a fetishist slaving over a keyboard?' I said that, to her. One of my greatest affiliate marketers, one of my long-time coworkers..."

I shook my head, "That's... How did you figure it out?"

"Honoka told me. We were having a nice evening together. She was hitting on me per usual, and it came up, her career. And why she retired," She didn't have any lightness to her voice, any emotion, "Why she fell into depression. Fell into despair. She even tried to... To kill herself over what happened. And now... How do I tell her the stone cold bitch she talked to... was me?"

"Be honest and blunt," I suggested, "And if she hates you, so be it. You can't undo what you did, Kicho. But a good leader, nay, a good friend, would do the right thing. Even if it hurts you both."

She nodded, a smirk forming, "You really know what to say to cheer a girl up. Are you sure you've not yet romanced someone here? I'd love to know the details."

I blushed and frantically deflected, "N-no! I'm just... I'm just an empathetic guy, honestly!"

"I kid, dear. Thank you, Naoya. Truly... Your advice always brings me back to reality, tethers me to sanity. I'm thankful to be your confidant as well, should you need me."

"I'd love to," I replied, smiling genuinely, one of the first I'd shared with anyone.

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Stress Reduction". Kicho has confided in you and encourages you to do the same. This skill reduces damage to the influence gauge for incorrect answers.**

 **You have been awarded Kicho's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	8. Sheena Midoriko's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Sheena Midoriko, the new girl. She didn't particularly trust any of us. Not even Ryuu, the one who found her. Instead, she kept her distance, lamenting her dead friends. Knowing that, I did my best to avoid her.

It was late in the evening, maybe eleven PM when I found myself walking to the cafe. I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't be bothered.

I was making my way there easily enough, flashlight in hand. I stepped up to the door leading inside only to find the lights on. Curious, I slowly and quietly opened the front door, sliding it back in place behind me. No one was in the main room, but the door to the back area was open. I slowly stepped towards it only for the visitor to show themselves. Sheena stepped in, bags under her eyes, looking more than a little exhausted. She saw me and let out an ear-piercing scream, nearly shattering my ear drums as she fell back onto her butt, trying to crawl away from me until she hit the bookshelf behind her, "P-please...!"

"Please what?" I just stared at her while she continued freaking out.

She jumped up and tried to run to the door behind me, but she didn't care to notice I was still in front of it.

Instead of stopping, she crashed into me, sending us both falling. I fell hard onto my side as she crawled up to get off of me, "...S-sorry!"

"I get you're afraid I'll murder you, but can you not hurt me in the process?" I tried to get up, but my side pained me, "Gha... Fell on a rib or something..."

Sheena had a look of guilt on her face, "Oh... I, I'm sorry! Um... Mister..."

I smiled, "Naoya... Naoya Himura, Ultimate Dreamer. Nice to meet you, Miss Biologist..."

She didn't hold out her hand as I finally managed to get to my knees, clutching my side, "I'm sorry... I never meant to..." She was on the verge of crying. What is this girl?

"I won't hold it against you..." I walked a step forward, "I just came for a quiet read, that's all. I'm sorry that I scared you... With how late it is, you're right to expect I'd be here to hurt you..."

She made a small shrieking noise.

"I'm not... Heh." I finally reached the edge of the nearest table and sat myself down, "No, go ahead. Go back. I'll crawl back later..."

She slowly inched her way up to me, "I... I'll h-help you b-back... Okay?"

I smirked, looking into her blue eyes, "That so, Sheena-san?"

"Y-yeah... I can d-do that at least... But don't think I care about you!" She added that last part in. Wow, gee, really? You treated me like a complete tool. Why would I think you like me? What is with this girl?

After finding a manga I'd been pining to read, I managed to get myself to the doorway, and Sheena helped me up on her shoulder, "You're stronger than I expected..."

"I've lifted bodies before..." She said that so casually. It'd be creepy if she wasn't a biologist. She dealt with dead bodies more than lives ones. That's why, right? ...Haha... ha.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

It was another late night not soon after. My side was still sore, but my spirits were high as I made another midnight excursion to the cafe. I had to return the last one I'd borrowed, and discreetly. I didn't want to be mocked for what I enjoyed... I know that might seem silly, considering my situation especially so, but that's who I was. Needless to say, I had friends back home, but... Well, they weren't the accepting type. I mean, it's not like what I enjoyed was illegal or immoral. I guess it's just not... as action-oriented as my friends would expect.

I found myself inside and found Sheena sitting at one of the tables, indulging in her own story. I tried to slip past her and hide it away, but she heard the floor squeak. When she saw me, she cut off the scream she was likely preparing to make, "Oh. It's... you."

"No need to play nice," I said. I felt a little offended. I didn't expect a red carpet, but did you have to say that so annoyed?

Sheena rolled her eyes, "What's that in your hands? Oh... You're a fan of that stuff, huh?"

I glared at her, holding it behind me, "Sh-shut up! It's... This is a classic, alright!?"

"Says the boy reading a shoujo manga," she decided to mess with me, "No wonder you sneak in here at night. You'd die if the others found out you like that, huh?"

I felt my emotions rise in me, "Excuse me, princess! I'd be surprised you could find the courage to talk to them, you scaredy-cat!"

She jumped up from her seat, "I'm not scared! I've studied dead people for years! Why would I be afraid?!"

"That's the experience you have? How about live people?" She hesitated, placing the tips of her fingers against each other, "Well?"

"Okay, maybe I haven't interacted with others all that much... B-b-but! It's not my fault!" She said that, but I doubted it, "I... I was... My sister..."

Oh? "Your sister? What about her?"

She dropped her hands, "Nevermind... Forget it."

I paused for a moment, "Alright. I'll forget it."

"What? Really?" She sounded surprised, if not a little insulted.

"You don't want to say. You don't have to. I'm not going to be an ass to you," I placed my manga back on the shelf I obtained it from, "If you excuse me, I'll head back before you hurt me again."

She glared at me, "You know I didn't mean to, idiot."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "With how you're mean to me, do I really know that?"

"Gosh, whatever! Do whatever you want!" She yelled at me, turning back to her book.

"I will," I waved, pushing the door open with my foot and stepping out into the darkness.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

"Naoya?" I looked up from the book I was reading. I felt burnt out on manga and instead borrowed a book from the library section of the cafe. It was a light novel, technically, but that was splitting hairs.

Sheena was standing in the doorway to the lounge on the second floor of the hotel, where I would read when the louder members of our little group played outside, "What would you want of me, dear Midoriko?"

She rolled her eyes, "Don't act so haughty. I wanted to talk to you. About earlier..."

"Your sister or your rudeness?"

"I'm not rude, you dumbass!" I raised my eyebrow at her again, and she glared and pouted, "S-sorry... Yeah, my sister."

I sighed, closed my book, and placed it on the small coffee table in front of me, folding one of my legs over the other, "Have a seat, then. I'd hope you make yourself comfortable if this is going to be a long story."

She sat, angrily staring me down the whole time as if I had done something wrong, "I had an older sister. She was... She was adopted out by a different family. I only found out after the fact... Her and her older brother. They were adopted by some other family... Kasatani, I think. Her name was Jun."

"Jun Kasatani?" I said it aloud.

"She was a wonderful girl. Kind, smart. She had a boyfriend, and they were out on a date and... And she never came back," Sheena's voice ran cold saying that last part, "I... I blamed her. I blamed her boyfriend, I blamed her parents... She had promised to help me out with school... To make friends. And instead, she..." A tear fell onto her hand, "She died and left me alone..."

I didn't know what to say, "Sheena... That's how I felt when my mother died. I was only six at the time, and she was killed in a hit and run. For a long time, I felt hollow, like it was somehow my fault. Being powerless in such a dark time, it's... It's hard."

Sheena spoke carefully, "Naoya... I hope you learned that it's... It's not your..." She bit her lip, "Don't let that guilt drown out the love your friends have for you."

"I'll do my best not to... Thanks, Sheena," I smiled at her, "You're... You're nice when you want to be."

Sheena blushed just a little, "Sh-shut up! Don't say things like that!"

I waved my hands, "Okay, okay! Don't yell at me..."

She put her hand over her mouth, "Oh, sorry... You must get yelled at a lot. You should really stand up for yourself."

"Have you talked to anyone that isn't me?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up!?"

I nodded, "Just a second ago."

She huffed, "Wh-whatever... Why don't we get a drink? Your disobedience is making me parched."

"Fine, whatever..."

 **Free Time Event 4#**

Sheena and I actually went to the manga cafe together this night. She said something along the lines of, if we were both going to go, we 'might as well' go together, but it didn't mean anything.

"Hey, Naoya... How did you find out your talent?" Sheena eventually asked me out of the blue on our way back, "I mean... You don't have to say, I was just wondering."

I glanced down at the manga in my hands and chuckled, "I just... did it. Dreaming for most of my life. Sometimes it was mundane. Sometimes it was exciting. I was real people before they did things... And fictional people, too. I had a dream I won a contest at school, and my friend won it the same day. I told him but... Well, needless to say, no one believed me at first. And when I did prove it, everyone thought it was way too cool..."

"You don't sound happy about that..." Sheena noted.

"Well, when I told my friend one day I'd dreamed of him dying a terrible way, none of my friends believed me. Said it was a cruel prank. Then he did, and the others abandoned me. Called me a jinx. Said I'd use my powers to kill them, too..." I glanced at the scar on my left palm, where I'd been stabbed once. Deep, too. "Was even attacked in school a couple times over it. I'd started dreaming the deaths of anyone at school, or around me... And when I warned them, it still happened. And people blamed me. Someone even tried to kill me... Said I had some Death Notebook or somethin'..."

Sheena frowned, "R-really? Have you had dreams of-"

I knew what she was implying, "Yeah. Dreams of us dying. But... They haven't happened. They might just be possibilities, or... Or maybe I'm just paranoid, having delusions... Maybe I never had an ability, and it was all just coincidence... God, I wish that were true. Then I wouldn't feel..."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm broken, too."

"Yeah. Being afraid of people isn't really that negative a character trait..." I rebuked her, smirking to myself.

Sheena shook her head, "What if... What if I told you I stole bodies?"

"What?"

She hesitated, "I'm afraid... of the others... Because of the theme. That one of them wants to kill me. For ruining their life..." She handed me a small name tag, "I was with a science organization once, right? I tried to find a way to reanimate the dead... That's why I'm a biologist."

I took a shot, "You wanted to bring your sister back?" It was a guess, but a pretty safe guess at that.

"Yes... And to that end, I'd go and rob cemeteries. All around Kyushu, I exhumed bodies and used them for experiments. And... Sometimes it worked... Kind of. They'd walk off to their home, a mangled mess of parts and blood. I probably scarred some people..." Sheena admitted, giving me a fearful look.

Gulping in some air, I asked, "Why tell me? Couldn't I be the one whose life you ruined doing that?"

"...I... Well, I trust you. I can't exactly hide my secret forever... And you've lost someone close, too. I figured you'd be able to understand why I did... what I did," She did make sense, at least. I could grasp why she'd go to such extremes... Still, what she did...

I laughed a little, earning a small elbow from her to the chest, "I'm not laughing at you... I just... You're right. I... I can sympathize with that. A little, at least."

Sheena sighed, "How would I even tell the others what I did... If they even did understand... It's just..."

I answered earnestly, "Just be honest. Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But sometime... I'll be by your side when you do it, if you want me to."

"T-thank you, Naoya..." She smiled at me, the first time she ever bothered before yelling at me over some false charges.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

"I can't believe I used to be afraid of you..." The way she said the last word made me feel somewhat offended.

I glared at her, "Watch your tone. Don't have to be mean because I'm not a killer..."

Sheena stuck her tongue out at me, "Think what you want. I'm only your friend because I pitied you, got that?"

"Now you're just being childish..." I pinched her cheeks, making her whine in protest.

"Hey! That hurts!" She smacked me lightly, "Bad Dreamer boy!"

I joked, "I'm a dream boy, alright..."

She rolled her eyes, "Make me gag, why don't you? What kind of idiot girl would like you?"

"...Yeah. You've got me there..." I took a drink from the coffee cup I made myself. I had gotten accustomed to making us drinks when we had our late night cafe excursions.

"Naoya..." She gave me a concerned look, "I was... Nevermind. How are the others?"

I shrugged, "Dysfunctional. Why?"

She looked unimpressed, "I meant, are they going to be killing anyone?"  
"Uh... That's... a good question. I can't say, honestly. I just know that I'm not going to. And I have faith, faith that none of them will, either," I decided to just believe. If I didn't... The paranoia, the fear would grip me and never let go.

"You would lack a useful answer... Figures," She sounded annoyed, disgusted with me.

I frowned, "If you find me that annoying..."

"I don't find you annoying. I find your density annoying," She folded her arms, angrily pouting at me, "If I had courage, I'd tell you off for it, but..."

"Then tell me. What are you mad at me about?" I'd rather know than not, "If it's something I can change, I will. You gave me time... You gave me friendship... It's the least I can do." I offered her my hand.

She grabbed it with both of hers, "Naoya... I want... I want... for us to... to be together."

My heart stopped. My brain went on full tilt, "What?"

"I like you, okay!? Do you understand that, dumbass!?" She said it so plainly, angrily blushing and glaring at me, waiting for an answer.

"Sheena... I..."

She hesitated, "If you need time to think about it, I understand. It's a lot to ask from an awful girl like me. A body stealer, a scaredy cat. Someone who's mean to you..."

I decided to say what I felt, "I haven't thought about that kind of stuff until just recently, and... I need time to think on it, okay?" She nodded, "Thanks, Sheena..."

"No matter what... We'll still be friends, right?"

"Of course. I promise you that much..."

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Switch". Sheena has made her feelings clear to you. This skill removes dummy panels in the closing argument.**

 **You have been awarded Sheena's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	9. Maria Nobutsuna's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Hanging out with Maria... was going to be awkward. I was doing it partly out of self-interest. If I befriended them, maybe... Maybe... they wouldn't kill me. Plus, if I could learn their strengths, weaknesses, grudges... I could perhaps keep them safe, keep us from killing.

I slowly approached Maria, almost as timid as Taka or Michi when we first met, "M...Maria?"

Maria turned to me, glaring. Her hair, now washed to a beautiful golden shine, moved with her head. She wore a black tank top that fit her figure nicely and black yoga pants that matched. She gave me a stern look, as if I was beneath her, "What the fuck is it?"

"Woah... O-okay... Um... I just... Wanted to..."

"I don't have time for pussies like you," Maria folded her arms, "You got something to say, say it."

I felt like I should flee, "I just wanted to get to know you..."

She raised a hand at me, "You want to die, punk?" When I gave her a look of genuine confusion, she added, "Get to know me? Whaddaya mean by that, huh?"

"...Like talk to you... and... Try to... to be friends..." I wasn't normally this spineless, but i couldn't understand why; just being in her presence forced me to cower.

"That all?" She glowered at me for much longer than I'd think necessary before letting out a sigh, "Heh, what am I thinking?" She shook her head, "You couldn't possibly hurt me. Too scrawny for that, too weak."

I stuttered, "N-not that I'd w-want to hurt you, anyway... I'm way too afraid of you to try anything stupid...?"

She glanced at me sideways, not tilting her head to face me, "Oh? Why's that?"

"You introduced yourself by taking a hostage. Why else would I be concerned?"

"That how it is..." She spat to the floor, "Whatever. It's a free city. Do whatever you like. But if you get in my way..." She took a step towards me and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, holding me close to her beautiful face, her purple eyes piercing my soul, "You'll miss walking. Comprehend that, ponce?" I nodded, and she dropped me, "Good. Crystal clear."

Choking at how tightly my neck was pressed, I nervously asked, "So what do you... do for fun?"

Maria smirked, an evil, sinister smile that would no doubt become a staple of my nightmares soon, "Since you asked..."

 **Free Time Event 2#**

What kind of thing was Maria into? I couldn't even fathom. She didn't go to the manga cafe, so when she asked me to go to a small gym near the construction site that was locked away.

She stood not that far from me on the mats, her bare knuckles cracking loudly as she put pressure on them, "You ready for this, dreamer? I plan to knock you the fuck out if you don't defend yerself."

I wanted to cry. She gave off a fierce, ruthless aura. "O-okay... I should be able to-"

"Starting!" She crossed the distance between us, gliding towards me in slow motion before flooring me in a single twisted knuckle to my stomach. I started coughing and hacking, struggling to stand. Every time I even got close to standing up, Maria just destroyed me again and again and again...

After a few minutes of this (or years, couldn't tell with a black eye, a bruised lip, and a fading consciousness), she finally relented, "God... I expected more."

She reached her hand out and when I very reluctantly took it, she pulled me up to my feet, "Huh...?"

"I figured you might have some fighting talent. I mean, dreaming... That's not a fuckin' talent," Maria sighed, shaking her head and leaning against the wall behind her, "Looks like I was wrong. You're just some scrawny target after all..."

"Going to kill me now...?" I said, feeling the inside of my mouth fill with the taste of iron.

Maria yelled at me, "Fuck no! I wouldn't waste a murder on someone who can't fight back... That's pathetic... I'm not some biker punk..."

That comment wasn't controversial... Not at all.

I leaned against the wall and fell down to my feet again, "Still... You're an excellent fighter, Maria... May I ask why?"

"I'm a cartographer. I had to travel the world. The world's fuckin' dangerous. I learned self-defense from a few instructors. Creepers on subways in Kyoto, sexist authorities in Dubai... Anyone that tried to stop my map making, I laid them the fuck out..." Maria said it with certainty, with pride, "I traveled with Akira at times. She's the only motherfucker I trust here."

"Well... You're impressive, Maria... Really."

Maria shook her head and grabbed at her scalp. And to my surprise, her hair came off. It was a wig!? Maria had shorter black hair, much like Shiori's, shorter in the front than the back, brushed better than Tojiko's, though, "Blond... I pretended to be Akira's sister, you know? But in truth..."

I wondered, "And sometimes you'd masquerade as Mario, right?"

"Y-yeah..." Maria sounded so insecure when she said that, "To protect myself, again... I don't know why I'm telling you this. Maybe it's 'cuz I feel sorry for you..."

"You feel sorry for me?" I asked, curious as to why.

Maria shook her head, "Forget it, kid. Now, I better start teachin' you what I know... If you're going to play a killing game, you need to learn self-defense. The least I can do after roughing you up so badly..."

Did she care about me? "T-thanks, Maria..."

"Don't mention it. Or else," She said that with great fervor. I hoped it was a joke, but I couldn't yet tell with her.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Maria was an intimidating person to me, still. That wouldn't change overnight. However, understanding her helped me cope with her brusque attitude.

"Hey! Get your head out your arse! We have work to do!" Maria yelled at me, her arms raised in a defensive posture, "Don't go daydreaming durin' training or I'll knock yer fuckin' lights out!"

I cringed as she faked throwing a punch my way, "S-sorry... I was just thinking about... about how different you are... from what I expected, I mean."

Folding her arms, she scowled, "What the fuck didja expect, huh?"

"Well... I mean... You're... not mean. You acted like it, but you're really not," I felt my face flush. Damn it, I hated embarrassing myself in front of people.

"Sure that's it?" She joked, I think, but with the tone and posture she had it was hard to tell.

You ever have a moment where you want to stop from saying something too late? That moment when you know it's too late, and all you can do is await the inevitable consequences?

Good. Now you know what I felt when I said, "You're pretty cute, too..."

Maria's expression went blank, and neither of us said a word. I felt like a deer in the road, a car oncoming. I could move and potentially save myself, but some force grounded me, kept me unmovable. All I could do was stare at my death like a dumbass.

Maria finally swallowed and answered me, "I'm not just a pretty girl. You know that. Right?"

"So? Looks don't mean everything..." I scratched at the back of my head, "You can be cute and tough. You're here, looking out for me. Spending time with me. Perhaps for more than just mentoring me on self-defense..."

"The fuck do you think I want?"

I decided to dig my hole deeper, "A friend... Someone to confide in, maybe."

Maria's eyebrow raised, "That it?" When I nodded, she breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh... Yeah. That's fine. It won't kill me to call ya that."

"...Thanks, Maria. For... for everything."

"Don't thank me yet. We're not even halfway done today..." And like that, our training resumed.

Only when the training was over, and we were both exhausted, drinking from a pair of water bottles I had brought for us did she ask, "You ever kill anyone?"

"What!? No!" She eyed me, and I added, "Why would you ask that...? I could never..."

"Calm down, kid," She finished the last of her water and chucked the bottle at the electronic recycler in the gym. The bottle bounced up off of the lid before sliding in effortlessly, "We both know you ruined someone's life. Just had to ask."

The theme, right. "I know whose life I ruined... I kept quiet, and let them get hurt... I could have intervened, could have helped, but..."

Maria looked down at her own hands, "At least you know... The only person here I recognize is Akira, and I never did anything to hurt her... That I know of."

"You could always ask her. If she's your friend, she'd tell you, right?" Maybe that was a bit too optimistic an expectation for me to have.

"I could..." She mused on the thought, "I'll try it. And what about you? Going to tell whoever you fucked over?"

I shook my head, "I... I don't want to bring up bad memories. Maybe it doesn't bother them anymore... But I doubt it. If it truly ruined their life..."

She cursed under her breath, "Fuckin... Stop being so nice and tell 'em. And if they kill ya, I'll avenge you."

"Maria..."

"I don't fancy the idea of you dying, don't get me wrong..." Maria viewed her hands, moving her fingers in a wave, "But we need to trash Kuma's theme. As fast as possible. Because if these killings start... I'll have to put an end to that shit right quick myself."

I asked, "Maria... Please. Don't kill. Even if..."

Maria chuckled to herself, "Vengeance? For our safety? I can't promise you on that."

I held down my head, "I... I figured. It's too much to ask."

"I appreciate the thought, kid," Maria stood up and cracked her neck, "Now, let's get back."

"Y-yeah... Let's do that." I smiled at her, but in my heart I felt torn... This game was going to be the death of me. Emotionally, psychologically, spiritually... And if things went poorly, even physically...

 **Free Time Event 4#**

Maria and I had grown close in the days waiting for the game to truly start. We both lamented the idea, but neither of us were willing to lie to ourselves so brazenly about our own survival chances. We weren't like Sho or Shiori in that regard...

My training was going well, though, and one night Akira, Maria, and I all gathered to celebrate with a drink.

"Are you sure we should?" I asked, hesitant.

Akira pulled the cigarette from her mouth in between her fingers, "Don't be a priss, kid. This is to celebrate our friendship. Got that?" Maria unscrewed the cork from the bottle and was covered in a small explosion of bubbly champagne, "Hahaha... Maria, don't get wet before we have a drink..."

"Shut up!" Maria shouted, tossing her the recovered bottle, "I'll get changed... And get that smile off your face, Himura!"

Was I smiling? I couldn't tell. I dropped it as soon as I could in fear of her retribution while Akira poured the three of us some wine into each of our goblets. Can you believe we found real wine goblets? Crystal goblets, man... Beautiful, see-through crystal...

"Maria's taken a liking to you, huh?" Akira asked, swirling her glass around before her eyes, "Then again... Guess I'm soft, too. We both wanted you here... " Drinking the entire glass in one gulp, she added, "Against our better judgment."

"Against... Is it bad... that I'm here?" Did I sound sad? I didn't think so, but Akira frowned at how I said it.

Akira waved her hand, "Of course not, Naoya. Just... Well, it's been a long time since Maria and I got together with a dude."

"Really?" I asked, somewhat curious.

"She introduced me to some guy way back when... Genji Akagi. I loved the man... But he played us both, really. That's how Maria ruined my life, I think."

Maria opened the door to that, "W-what...? Akira, what... What do you mean?"

Akira grimaced, "Shit, you would walk into this... You always had horrible timing."

"Akira... Explain, please. What did I... What did Genji do?" Maria seemed shaken by what her long time companion had said.

"I'll explain it to the both of you..." Akira drank another glass, liquoring herself up for the full story.

"I was a dancer. I'm older than you all. I'm twenty. I skipped high school to travel the world. No big deal, right? Didn't meet Maria here until she was twelve and I was fifteen. Met a guy through her, Genji. The three of us traveled the world together. Her masquerading as Mario, myself, and him."

Maria smiled to herself, "They were simpler times. Then Despair..."

"Despair hit around then. Skip ahead two years. I'm seventeen, Maria's fourteen. Genji, who'd been with us for so long... He proposed to me," Akira bit her lip, reminiscing, "And I never felt such joy. My heart sung; all that cutesy shit from the movies."

"That's... Then why was it bad?" I cut to the chase.

Akira's eyes lowered as she tried to explain it deftly, "He tried to kill me one night. We hadn't married yet, and he..."

Maria jumped up from her chair, "Akira! Wh-what!? Why would he-"

"Does it matter?" Akira silenced her with a glare, "The point is I defended myself. And I killed him. And that morning, I dragged you out of there, saying Despair had attacked, that Genji had stayed behind and would follow shortly..."

"So you lied to me?" Maria's hands fell to her side, "You never told me the truth..."

Akira cursed, "Fuck no... I knew you'd blame yourself for introducing him!"

Maria's eyes widened, "Wait... Did he try to kill you over Yusuke!?"

"Yusuke?" I asked, confused.

"Family..." Akira muttered, "The only family that survived the Despair War. Genji disliked him from the start. Said we shouldn't deal with him, we should abandon him. And when I refused, he attacked me."

Maria added, "Yusuke is a little brother to us. He's... being taken care of by a friend to the family, right?" Akira nodded, "Akira... I... I didn't know Genji was... I'm so sorry!"

Akira waved her hand, "It's fine. Take a drink. It's the past. I'm not angry about it, anymore. I just have to take care of him. He's young, so..."

All of this new information really took me for a ride, "Akira... I have to say... I admire you... Both of you, really."

"Tch, really? What for, kid?" Maria put her hand on my head, ruffling my hair like a child.

"You guys have been through hell and back... Literally so... But you're still friends. If we can just follow your example... We'll stay alive together..." I meant it. Akira and Maria truly were heroes to me.

Akira laughed, "Shut up and drink, kid. Even if we all don't make it... Well, let's make our memories everlasting!" The three of us clinked our glasses and drank that fateful night... The night that hope grew in my heart.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Later that evening, when Maria and Akira had both sufficiently drunk themselves up, i was the poor soul left to ensure no one attacked us. I could have just left, but if I locked myself out and anything happened, I'd feel guilty. Then again, I also didn't particularly mind watching over the equivalent of two drunken children. The shit they said and did was more than enough to amuse me.

I was just thankful that I hadn't joined in their merriment as they had.

Akira was better able to control herself, "Maria... Heh... I'll head back to my room now. Naoya... Watch her for a bit before you leave, huh?" Akira stumbled to the door, "Eh?"

"Yeah, I'll... I'll d-do that..." I saluted her with my right hand, two fingers extended, "Night."

She yanked the door open and nearly tumbled to the floor, pressing up against the far wall before she sloppily closed the door behind her.

Maria was resting on the couch, the empty wine bottle in her hands, "This stuff is stronger 'an I remember..." She dropped it onto the carpet. I rushed over and picked it up, putting it in the sink and washing it out in her bathroom so she wouldn't stain anything, "What're you doin' that for?"

"The nearest recyclable bin is outside. It's late. We're not at our best, and Monokuma might get pissed if we stain these carpets. Or not. But I don't wanna find out the hard way..." I warned her, doubting she'd even take it seriously in her state.

"I guess sho..." She was slurring her words now. Great. I took a seat on the opposite end of the large couch we had in our room. Maria had dragged it in here from the hallway. She wanted it in case Akira slept over.

I rubbed my neck, debating what to do, "I feel I should... leave. Should I lock your door?"

Maria tried to stand up and fell backwards into my lap, "Oh... Get me to my bed... 'fore I pash out."

Rolling my eyes, I helped her to her feet, and together we walked to her bed. The hotel room was larger than I'd expected as we headed down the darkened hallway and I pushed the door open.

"Thatsh the bathroom, shtupid..." Maria scolded me as i closed the door and about-faced to the only other door that I couldn't see into. When I opened it, she nodded and I helped her to the bed, laying her down gently.

I sighed as I finally freed my hands from under her, She weighed more than me. She wasn't like, fat or nothin', but she was tall and far more muscled than I. "Will you be alright now Maria? I wouldn't want to leave you like this..."

Maria, groggy and slurring even worse now, eyed me as she pressed her body against the bed, not even getting under the covers, "Shtay with me then..."

"Maria... I can stay on the couch if you want, I guess."

"No... Here..." She patted the bed, to which she added, "Pleash..."

I had a bad feeling about this, "I have to refuse... I'm worried about your mental state right now. The sober you wouldn't let me stay here, let alone bunk in here."

Maria's expression darkened, "Naoya... You're too kind. I eshpected you to... jump on me... Hahaha..."

"I respect you too much to do that. You taught me, drank with me, invited me in... What kind of bastard would take advantage of that kindness? For any reason?"

"So you won't even ashk me whosh life I ruined?" She was curious, even in this state she was in.

Damn. Now that offer I was tempted to take. If I knew who ruined her life, or at least what it was, I could diffuse any bad blood there. But as I glanced down at Maria's calm, barely there expression, I knew that even asking that would be wrong, "N-no... I'll ask you tomorrow, if I really want to know."

Maria didn't say much in response, just nodding as she finally fell asleep, her gentle breathing the only noise in the room. I tiptoed to the door, pulled it nearly shut, glanced in once more to verify her condition, and closed it quietly.

Making my way into the living room, I flopped onto the couch on my back. I'd already taken my shoes and socks off, so what did it matter? I was feeling flushed myself, my lips dry, my throat parched. I guess I did drink too much... I think? Who knows?

...

I felt something under me when I finally started to come to. My head was killing me, a flaming pain raging inside of my skull, like it bounced off the walls inside. I opened my eyes and saw... legs?

Maria smirked, "Finally up, kid?"

Maria was sitting on the end of the couch, my head placed in her lap. My body felt heavy, and when I struggled to move my arms, it did me no favors.

"You're too liquored up, kid. Drank more than we did, I think..." Maria laughed, "I woke up two hours ago and found you sprawled out here. I thought you'd like to waken to some company... Besides, you stayed for me, so..." Was she blushing or still buzzed?

"S-sorry... You asked me to stay, so..." I blushed myself. Was it the hangover or the thought of her asking me to stay with her that dredged up a reaction within me?

Maria frowned, "Tch... Yeah, I know. I'm not a forgetful drunk. Which reminds me... You gonna ask or what?"

Ask? I didn't remember what she was talking about.

"Fine... I'll just tell you." Maria brushed her hair with her free hand and laid her head to rest on it while she spoke, "I'm from Towa City. This is my hometown... That enough for you?"

"Really? Do you even remember this place that well?" I asked.

Maria shook her head, "No, it was a long... time. My parents lived here alone. And when those damned Warriors of Hope took over, they... Even though I wasn't here, they killed them. That's why I stayed traveling with Akira and Genji... I didn't hate the idea of going home."

I realized, "You just lost yours..." If that was the case, I had a damn good idea which of our friends killed her parents. I hoped it was only indirectly, but... Well, it was hard to say.

"You know, don't you?" She cut off my line of thinking, "Who did it. Everyone here, they like you. Someone must have mentioned it... That they were a Warrior of Hope or a Monokuma Child... So which is it?"

"Maria..."

Maria gave me a fierce look, her mouth curled into a frown, "I have a right to know, Naoya. You want to protect them, right? But if I'm your friend... If you really care about me, you'd say."

Fuck me. Now I had to make a choice... to betray Kotoko's trust and tell Maria, knowing how she might respond... or lie to her, obscure the truth... and risk losing her friendship forever. What should I do? Answer? Keep quiet? I felt beads of sweat form on the sides of my face during my deliberation.

Finally, I responded, "Kotoko. She was... The Fighter for the Warriors of Hope." Maria's expression changed, to one of surprise and thoughtfulness, "She... She had an awful childhood, and... And that was..."

"Naoya... Promise me you'll take care of Akira for me... If I should..." She was bringing that up again, "Even if I..."

"No!" I jumped up out of her lap and faced her, "Kotoko, she... She knows what she did was wrong, and, and..." Did I say this? Should I? "And it's my fault she even joined them!"

Maria gazed up at me, mouth agape, "W-what?"

I'd said it. Might as well come clean... "I had a dream that she was... She was going to be abused. But I was scared to tell her. I was worried she wouldn't believe me, or that, that we'd just both get in worse trouble... We weren't friends in elementary, and I figured it'd be pointless, so I kept quiet!" I felt my fingernails rend into my flesh from how hard I was clenching them. I couldn't let go of my hands, though. My subconscious only tightened my grip, "Anything she did... I could have stopped it! I'm responsible for your losses... Not her!"

"You may have been a factor, but you're not the one responsible for the death of my family," Maria started, "You can't take the fall for her."

"Then I'll defend her with my life!" Maria's eyes widened, "It's my fault... I'll do anything to make up for it!"

"You've resigned yourself to dying for her... haven't you?"

I slammed my foot down, "God damn right I am!" I felt tears leaking down my face, "No one believed me... My friends, my mother! I couldn't save anyone! My talent was a curse... But if I can die to save her, to make up for that, I'll do it! If you want to harm her... then... Then just kill me instead!"

Maria folded her arms, "Why would I-"

"Maria!" She stopped, "I'm not saying you would... I believe you wouldn't. I believe in you. You're a great friend... But I have to make it clear to someone... I'll defend her with my life... That is my resolve!"

"Hmph. Guess I can respect that. I'd die for Akira, given the chance..." Maria sighed, "I wouldn't dream of killing you..." She hesitated, "As for Kotoko... I won't hold it against her on one condition... You have to tell her. What she did to me... and what she did to you."

I trembled, thinking of how she'd hate me if i did that. But if it meant ensuring her safety, I nodded, "I promise!"

Maria clicked her tongue, "And... One more thing. I have something to ask you, when we're through. Understand?"

"Y-yeah... That's fine."

"Just answer me honestly when we discuss that. That's all I'll request of you."

I held out my hand and she shook it, "A promise is a promise!"

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Trap Card". Maria has pledged her loyalty to you. This skill allows you to lie more easily by limiting the options to three 'truth' bullets.**

 **You have been awarded Maria's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	10. Hiro Satoru's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter. I'd heard of him, of course. He trained in a temple in Kyushu and protected the locals. He dreamed of becoming the most important athlete in all of Japan, or so he said on news outlets. He'd only lost three fights; to a man named Kenshiro, to Sakura Ohgami, and to his one time trainer, Nekomaru Nidai. He was a natural, but his abrasive attitude had alienated him in the martial arts community.

I wasn't afraid of him, though. Definitely not...

"Himura!" When he yelled my name one morning, I nearly crumpled to the floor in fear.

I rotated methodically to face him, "Y... Yeah?" I wanted to cry as he stomped up to me. His arms were massive in comparison to mine. He was the second tallest of us, and certainly the fittest, except for perhaps Aya.

'What are you doing up this early, bastard!? You planning to kill!?" And of course, he accused me. Hiro was notorious for suspecting the rest of us being killers. Kicho suggested it was representative of his own urges or something... Not that she'd tell him that.

"I was just going to the cafe. Is that unacceptable?" I decided to sass him. He wouldn't hit me for that, right?

Hiro cracked his knuckles, "You wanna make me mad?"

I glared back at him, "Then stop treating me like a damn criminal. If I wanted to kill someone, I wouldn't bother talking to you. Hell, I'd probably not do it anywhere near you!"

"True... The killer that goes after me would have a pretty hard time survivin' my wrath..." Hiro laughed, "Whatever. I have training to do. Wanna join? I 'convinced' Ryoji to join me already."

"Just ask Aya. You both mostly use your feet, right?"

Hiro's veins throbbed then, "Th-that's... not the worst idea... You go ask her for me. I can't be late or Ryoji might run again..."

I nodded, "O-okay..." I sighed, thanking the Lord he wasn't forcing me to go too. Ryoji, the poor soul...

And that was how Hiro finally began treating me like something resembling people...

 **Free Time Event 2#**

I should have known it was only a matter of time.

Hiro lunged for me, legs spread wide as he pushed up off of the ground, leaping in my direction. He had a cocky grin, the kind that reminded me of just who I was up against.

I glanced at Ryoji, still collapsed on the small field next to me. We'd found an elementary school. The building was in mostly ruins, but the field was good.

Aya, who had excitedly agreed to join Ryoji and I, was in a defense position, acting as if the injured Ryoji was her net to protect. Wish we had a fourth so I didn't have to-

A foot cut my thoughts off as he floored me with a single kick, sending me comically flying through the grass and dirt, scratching my back through the clothes as I winced in pain.

"Tch... Aya, you're up." Hiro lunged for her, and the two exchanged blows. Hiro could use his hands to some effect, but Aya was able to not only block him but also launch attacks of her own with just her feet. Hiro always got super pissed when he got to her; then he'd take it out on Ryoji and I. We asked Ryuu to come, but he flaked. Smart traitorous bastard he was, eh?

Ryoji grumbled, "G-get him... Aya..."

Aya gave him a thumbs up, "No problem, Ryoji-kun!"

Hiro tried to take advantage of that opening, sending his foot straight up. Aya stepped back just in time for his foot to connect with her chin, staggering her.

"Finally!" Hiro lunged forward, palm outstretched, slamming into her stomach. Aya placed a hand over her waist and collapsed to her knees, "I finally beat you!"

I walked over, clutching my wrist, "Finally...? This was the first time we all sparred together."

Hiro quickly corrected himself, "Oh, r-right... The first time, huh... And no one's here to see it..." Hiro felt a rush of emotion and kicked the field, launching some dirt and grass into the air.

"Are you upset or something?" Ryoji was sitting up and slurping ramen from one of those instant noodle cups he was binging on.

"Nah... Nah." Hiro took a bottle from his belt and drank the whole thing, "I started as a kickboxer... That's why my legs are my strength. I can utilize my arms, too, but that's my strong suit. My arms are too muscled up to move as quickly now..." he sighed, "The sport is more varied than you'd think. That's why Aya-chan is my rival... She's said to be the strongest warrior on two legs... I have to prove that untrue... My pride demands it!"

Aya jumped up, "So I should not hold back, huh?"

Hiro's body tensed, "Holding back... You're bluffing." Hiro moved for her. Aya sidestepped him with ease and tripped him, not bothering to defend herself more than that.

As Hiro hit the ground, he began to yell in rage, "You... That's not even funny!" He got to his feet and lunged, but she jumped over him this time, "You an acrobat, too!?"

Aya smirked, "I'm a professional, right? I spent a long time honing my body for football... I won't be defeated so easily!"

Hiro growled for a moment before regaining his composure, "That so? At least I have a worthy partner to train with... Ryoji, Naoya, to the bench! Watch the real experts at work..."

Ryoji shrugged, "You mean just Aya, right?" Hiro kicked his ramen to the ground, "Why the food!?"

I shook my head in exasperation. What even was this group of ours...?

 **Free Time Event 3#**

The weather was overcast and somewhat chilly when Hiro and I met alone on the field. He was trying his hand at football, kicking the ball around and trying to find people to play with that weren't as good as Aya, nor as bad as I was.

"Damn it... When will I be good enough to crush her!?" Hiro was muttering to himself a lot during this time as i stood next to the goal post.

I decided to ask, "Why are you so intent on beating Aya, Hiro?" He glared at me, "Dude, she's not your enemy. She's never been cruel to you."

Hiro cursed at me, "Fuck off."

"What, did she ruin your life or something?" When he flinched, I knew, "...Are you serious?"

"Does it fucking matter!? I asked you here to watch, not talk!" Hiro lunged forward, slamming the side of his foot into the ball, sending it tearing down the field at the goal post. I hid behind the metal post as it tore into the net, nearly burning it as it continued spinning before finally falling to the ground.

Sensing I was in danger if I continued prying, I tried to de-escalate the situation, "Okay, sorry! I'll shut up!"

Hiro sighed, walking over to the net and grabbing the ball in his hands, "It's... stupid. My life, I mean..."

"Hiro..."

"I said I wanted to be the best. The most famous athlete in Japan, right?" He drank from his water bottle again, "Well, I couldn't compete with people like Ogre or Kuwata. Didn't have the looks for it. Instead, I devoted myself to being the best legwork athlete. Something I could achieve. Sprinting, Muay Thai, kickboxing, soccer... But that damn Nakajima..."

He was jealous of her? "She didn't mean to overshadow you, man."

Hiro sighed, putting his bottle back in his belt, "Think I don't know? And how could taking my title ruin my life, huh? I'm a sad, pathetic person, aren't I?"

"I don't think so..." I considered my own life, "Having a dream is wonderful. Having it snatched away can hurt."

"It's a stupid dream for a stupid fool..." He spat at the ground, "If anything, it's my... Her popularity pissed me off so damn much. She was amazing, popular... Even helped with volunteer work before the Fall..."

I thought to myself, "I think Sho might have mentioned her once or twice..."

Hiro lifted the ball with his toe and kicked it over the field, landing it in the other net a good forty meters away, "Some bastard came to me one day, mocking me... I already knew Nakajima was better, but this bastard wouldn't leave it be... Bullying a ten year old..."

"So what did you do?"

"I kicked him in the damn throat," Hiro cursed to himself, "He's probably dead now. I accidentally paralyzed the stupid bastard. He was just some homeless vagabond anyways... I wasn't charged for it. People said he started it, but..."

I asked, "You feel guilty for it, right? About giving in to your anger?"

Hiro nodded, "A sign of weakness, it was. That's why I want to beat Nakajima. Not to win, or to prove a point, or any of that bullshit... I want to beat the demon inside me. I want to prove that I can do it, overcome my own weakness."

"If that's what you want... I'll still help you, okay?" I gave him a smile.

"Like I'd let you go, anyways," he shot back, smirking, "You're living on me time right now. Now, go get the ball and prepare to play goalie..." I gulped in fear, and he motioned to the other net, "You've got sixty seconds."

With that, I started sprinting.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

In his never ending efforts to defeat Aya, Hiro became close to her, Ryoji, and myself. Not purposefully, of course, but wholly accidental. It was quite amusing to me how he softened up in our presence.

"Damn... You're a fuckin' machine..." Hiro was coated in sweat. If I was in his condition, I'd feel disgusted with myself, "Why can't I seem to win?"

Aya, also sweating pretty profusely, was wearing her football uniform. Number 11, professional star Nakajima-san had taken the field, "Keep this up... and I just might..."

Ryoji threw her a bottle, and she caught it and started drinking, "Damn... Don't overwork yourselves, alright?"

"You care so much, huh Ryoji?" I teased, "Do you like Nakajima?"

"What!? O-of course not!" Ryoji was blushing though, "I just admire her, that's all. I know better than to try for her!"

Hiro laughed, "So you do. You're just scared."

Ryoji glared at him, "I'm not scared!"

"Then ask her," Hiro shot back, "If you're so brave."

Ryoji stomped his foot, "Fine, whatever! Hey, Aya. Want to hang out after we're done here?"

"Sure. Just let me shower first," Aya answered.

"See! I told you I'd... Wait, really?"

Aya nodded, "Why not? We're close friends, Ryoji. I wouldn't just turn you down."

Tears flowing under his glasses, Ryoji spoke, "R-really? That's never happened before..."

Hiro shook his head, "That's kinda pathetic to just admit to, man."

I concurred, "Yeah, but it's very much like Ryoji. Let's leave 'em be."

And like that, Ryoji and Aya went their own ways, planning to meet elsewhere. Hiro and I didn't pry into their affairs as we saw them off.

"Back to practice," Hiro evilly grinned at me. I felt an intense murderous desire...!

...

After a torturous training session, I decided to ask, "Did you know?" Hiro gave me a confused look, "That she'd say yes."

"I suspected as much," Hiro chuckled, "More power to them. Long as they know the risks..."

"Right..." I hadn't thought about that, "If you fall in love here, your likely to get fucked up for it."

Hiro frowned, "Yeah... We'll do our damnedest to prevent anything going down, though. Right?"

I nodded, "Of course, Hiro. I'll do my best."

"Hey... You like a girl here? Need my help?" He was smirking.

"No thanks, Hiro," I replied sternly, "I'm not interested. I know better than to make commitments here."

Hiro nudged my shoulder, "Come on, man. Life is short. Ours might be. Why not die happy?"

I scooted away from him, "Yeah, uh, no. I don't intend to make it out."

"You expecting someone will kill you?"

"That or I'll sacrifice myself," I admitted, "That was my plan if we got forced to kill, anyways."

He didn't like that, "You're not doin' that. None of us are tapping out because of that fuckin' bear, you understand me?" When I refused to answer, he grabbed my shoulders, "Do you understand me?"

Silence persisted...

Hiro let me go, "Damn it, Himura... We're not done talking about this."

"I promise."

"What, really?" He didn't believe me.

I looked him in the eyes, "I promise. That what you want? I promise I won't give up..."

Hiro sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. Thought I'd have ta knock sense into you, dumbass. Now, let's head back ourselves."

"Okay..." And we did just that.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

It was another bright, sun-filled day that the four of us had taken to the field when Hiro asked us to gather around.

"What's this about...?" Ryoji asked, somewhat tentatively.

Hiro held out a charm, "This is..." It was a small white paper person, "Grab hold of it."

Ryoji argued, "I don't do occult stuff."

"You'll be a ghost if you don't grab the fuckin' thing," Hiro warned, leveling a glare at him, "And even if you escape, I'll ouija board the fuck out that hotel."

Reluctantly, Ryoji pressed his fingers on one of the limbs of the paper guy.

Aya followed, "There. That what you wanted?"

"I'll do it, too, I guess." I didn't want ghosts either.

"On three, we pull." Hiro smirked, "One, two, three!" We all pulled hard and the paper man split apart. Hiro got the head, Ryoji got the left half of the body, Aya the right arm, and me the right leg and torso.

Hiro reached into his pockets and retrieved his ID card, "Now we slide it under our ID. Don't lose it. This will keep us connected in case... Well, in case anything happens."

"You did a friend ritual with us?" Ryoji asked, confused.

"Yeah... I had a similar experience with my Sensei and instructors. I hope that wherever they are, they're safe right now," Hiro carefully returned his ID card into his pocket, "I also want to make a promise between us. The Four Field Friends. Or... whatever name you wanna make up..."

Ryoji excitedly raised his hand, "Can we be called Homeward Hopers?"

I shrugged, "I guess. It alliterates nicely..."

Hiro scratched at his cheek, "Whatever works, man. We have to make a vow here and now. That no matter what happens, if any of us die... We gotta die with a smile on our face, understand?"

Ryoji asked, "Why?"

"Because it'll show Monokuma we won't die in Despair. No matter what; if we go down, we won't give him satisfaction. You got it!?" He glared at all of us.

"Sure," I gave in, "I, Naoya Himura, promise to survive, but if I die, to die smiling."

Ryoji and Aya followed, and Hiro smiled and did it himself. I felt a strong bond between us... I finally understood him.

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Defensive Pact". Hiro has forged a brotherly bond with you. This skill allows you to regain some health for every correct answer selected during a trial.**

 **You have been awarded Hiro's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	11. Narutoya Nobunaga's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Narutoya Nobunaga, the narcissistic nihilist telemarketer. He was a silver-tongued devil, so some said. Could I really become close to someone like this? I might be wasting my time here, but i decided to give it a shot.

Narutoya was seated in the second floor lounge reading a book; some large technical book, from what I could tell. An astrophysics book, I guess. I tried to garner his attention, "Narutoya? Are you busy?"

When he didn't even move to acknowledge me and turned the page, licking his finger and sliding it aside, I spoke up, "Narutoya? Can you hear me?"

"Of course I can hear you," Narutoya sighed, giving me an annoyed glare as his shades fell to his nose, "What do you want?"

"I was hoping that... that we could..."

Narutoya held up a hand, "Save it. I don't have time to waste on you. I don't mean to be rude-"

"Could have fooled me," I shot back, grumbling.

"But I do have more important things to tend to. And making nice with the enemy isn't my thing," he had such a rotten attitude, didn't he?

I rolled my eyes, "Calm down, Togami wannabe. Now's not the time to be sprouting such a damn attitude. Someone might kill you over it, you know? And unlike him... I doubt you could protect yourself."

Narutoya eyed me, "Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning," I answered, "A voice of concern. I want us to get along, and you acting this way isn't helping..."

"If you say so," he completely ignored my friendly advice, just like that, huh? This was going to be more difficult than I thought, "I'm not interested in your little power politics. Understand? When the killing starts, these notions of friendship and allies will fall away to the side like yesterday's waste. I've seen it before..." His voice reverberated a melancholic note, "Human depravity goes hand in hand with survival instincts and egotistical self-righteousness."

I couldn't believe this, "Says the guy who boasts being chosen by God."

Narutoya smirked, "Only because it's true. Now, enough discussion time. I have important theories to mull over. Good day."

And like that, he dismissed me with the wave of his hand. What a prick...

There had to be more to him than this, right?

 **Free Time Event 2#**

What could I do to melt Nobunaga's icy exterior? Would it even be worth it to try? I mulled it over for a long while before eventually deciding to just talk to him again. If it didn't work, I'd give it up.

Narutoya was seated in the same place when I ascended the stairs, pondering as he skimmed through the pages of another complicated dictionary-sized science book. He must have noticed my arrival, but he gave no indication of acknowledgement or concern. He was a steel mask, huh?

"Nobunaga-kun... Do you have time?" I asked, more hopeful than I should be.

He glanced up for just a solitary second, "You again? I distinctly remember tactfully explaining to you my lack of care for befriending the enemy."

I knew this wouldn't be easy, "Yeah, I remember. That doesn't mean I can just give up."

He shook his head, closed his book, and set it on the table in front of him, "I'm not someone you want to befriend."

"Maybe so, but... I want to learn that for myself," I replied earnestly.

"If you're that certain, I will tolerate your presence," he sounded annoyed, "But don't expect much from me. I'm not a charitable person."

I laughed at that, though he didn't find it amusing, "I kind of expected as much. You're the Ultimate Telemarketer, right? So do you harass people or..."

He denied that assertion, "I convince. I persuade. I don't find it necessary to use violence or coercion. That leaves a bad taste in the mouth of my clients... No jokes intended."

"If you're that persuasive, couldn't you be more than a telemarketer?" I mean, that was a legitimate question, right?

"I used to... Tch. I had a great business once. I was successful... I became a senior manager at a multinational corporation and used that to found my own business venture by the time I was eleven," Narutoya took pride in himself for this, "And as predicted in this distorted world of ours, we were shut down. The bastards I hired grew complacent, greedy. They got involved in scandal after scandal. My business, my future... They took it!"

"That's not... that sounds awful, man," I meant it. I'd be pissed if that happened.

Narutoya grabbed his book, "Hence, I trust no one. Everyone is out to use you for their own ends. I have adjusted to live by that truth. I suggest you do the same. Every relationship you have, you will pay for it. You understand?" He stood up and started descending to the hallway our rooms were in, "That's my advice for you. Now leave me be..."

Was he looking out for me? And was that story true? I'd have to ask Kicho about it... She might know.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Narutoya was down at the cafe for once reading when I arrived, "Oh, changing venue?"

"Blasted... I came here to be left alone!" Narutoya replied angrily.

"Not a great idea considering we come here often," I fired back, "Is it that bad people bother you?"

Narutoya adjusted his shades again, giving me a smarmy look, "You still can't grasp such a simple concept, huh?"

I disagreed, "You're the grasper here."

"What? How dare you talk to me like that!?"

"Then explain how isolating yourself doesn't make people want to target you more?" He clammed up, "If I befriend you, maybe I won't kill you. Am I not more likely to kill a stranger than an ally in a game like this?"

Narutoya grimaced, "You'd expect that, but most murders occur with people you know. In the past killing games, it's nearly always been that way. Murders among close confidants..."

I asked, "And how many got away? Plus, don't random, unrelated murders get unsolved the least? Without a discernible motive, or with a general motive, how can we tell except by methodology and relationships?"

"...Tch. You might not be as idiotic as you seem to be..." he set his book down, "So that's why you want to befriend me? To determine my methods if I were to murder?"

"Might be a side benefit," I admitted. It wasn't wrong that I didn't consider that, too, "I believe if we work together, that even if it gets bad, even if I get betrayed... I'll survive. I'll have people to rely on and fall back on. What can you do without a safety net?"

Narutoya thought, pondering as he laid his head on his closed fist, "That's not the worst strategy I've heard. It is possible I've discarded the others, perhaps too swiftly." He tapped the book with his free hand, "Still, though... Ingratiating myself with the others won't be a simple task. Likely they consider me to be an easy choice for the mastermind... I don't blame them, of course. No one else here is smart enough to pull that off..."

"Is this a confession?" I joked, trying to get a reaction out of him.

"Of course not," Narutoya wasn't amused, "I may be a cold businessman, but enacting a killing game would be throwing my future away. I can't conceive a scenario wherein anyone here would benefit... That just makes it all the more frightening to think one of us is responsible."

I knew how he felt. That thought tore me up inside, too, "Still... Can you sift out the culprit without meeting the others? Far off observation wouldn't be enough..."

Narutoya tilted his head, "But why humor my musings? There are others to mingle with."

"That means you need me all the more. No one should be left alone..."

"A simple answer for a simple mind," he was acting smug again, the jerkass, "But fitting. Perhaps I will take what you said into account. For now, it would be best that you leave me be. Oh... and ignore Taika-chan, as you all affectionately keep calling her."

I questioned him, "Why? What's up with you two?"

Narutoya removed his shades to look me in the eyes, "She's dangerous. Understand?"

I gulped and nodded as he refocused his glasses on his face and walked off, book under his arm, "B-bye..."

Kicho told me they had history... Bad blood, she said. Sounds like he's got bitter feelings about it, too.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

After hitting a wall with Kicho, I decided to talk to Nobunaga-kun again. Only he could tell me about his past. He must have sensed my motives when I approached, as he placed his book down on the desk and gave me a serious look.

"Narutoya?"

He motioned to the chair across from his, "Sit if you'd like. I imagine you demand to know. What happened between Kicho and I... If I might seek revenge."

I plopped down in the chair unceremoniously, "I could tell you mine if you wanted. It was... Utsugi."

"The actress and designated Fighter of the Warriors of Hope, correct? You're responsible, at least partly, for his childhood trauma. Is that correct?" He analyzed what I had said and gathered all of that from it? Hell, this guy was smart...

"Y-yeah..." I felt a twinge of pain in my heart, "I uh... had a dream. And didn't tell her. Didn't warn her, or go to the adults. I was afraid."

Narutoya nodded, "Cowardice is the vice that led you to sin. Perhaps that resolve will be tested again while we're here."

I didn't follow, "What did you mean?"

"I think the game has more to it than just the revenge motive. No, I sought another angle. Monokuma never gives the whole truth; I searched his words, our handbooks for any clue. The city, as well." He set his handbook down on the table to the notes section, which had pages upon pages filled out.

"So you think... perhaps the emotion or... whatever it was that made us ruin someone's life might be related to how we're treated in this game?" If mine was about cowardice, that made sense. What would the others be forced to undergo, I wonder?

Narutoya nodded, giving me the first smile and compliment I'd ever heard from him, "At least you can grasp this quickly. In my case, it would be... Distrust. My distrust of my beloved partner Kicho led to my sin."

I chuckled, "Really? Couldn't see that coming..."

"We built a company together. A telemarketing company. She took me in from the streets after my business fell through. But she..." Narutoya's face curled into disgust and anger, "She allowed the man who ruined me to work for us as a volunteer. To help people in debt with payment plans. When I demanded she cut her ties, she refused. Said charity work was always a goal of hers. So of course, I warned the Board of Directors about my incident with that bastard, Takeda. And when they learned the risks involved, we cut a deal. And Kicho was fired that week."

Really? He betrayed his own partner and lover over a volunteer like Sho? "Sho... Why would he sabotage... Oh. He found out your employees were scum. He sold them out, and that cost you, too."

"I was angry and bitter," Narutoya continued, "I betrayed her... The only person I ever loved... Because I was afraid, irrationally so. None of my new employees were corrupt... We chose them together, created a family at work... And I repaid them so cruelly..." he nearly slammed his fist into the table but managed to restrain himself last second, "Well, during the Despair War, we saved lots of lives. The surviving nations used our contact lists to great usage, and my coworkers and I spent the time making calls and transferring lines. To think I did all of that to end up here anyways... It's funny... How much life has made a fool of me."

"You can make it right, Narutoya. Just apologize to her. Tell her what you told me." I felt he could manage it, if he was honest with her.

Narutoya didn't answer, and we both committed to silence. After a few minutes, when my legs started to feel wobbly from me sitting on them for so long, he responded, "Fine. I'll try. But if she kills me, you had better catch her. Understand?"

I rolled my eyes, "If she wanted to kill you, she would have."

"I hope you're right." He answered sadly. We headed back together, the first time he deigned to walk with one of us 'commoners'.

I realized now his attitude was an act, a mask he used to hide himself. He wasn't an uptight wealthy businessman... He was just a kid with a dream who grew too cynical... Something I can't blame him for. I just hoped he'd find the strength to change...

 **Free Time Event 5#**

"I talked to Kicho..." Narutoya just said it willingly as we both drank at the cafe. Me, some cream and sugar coffee. Him, royal milk tea. The good stuff, too; not that secondhand shit.

I couldn't fathom what they talked about, "How'd it go?"

Narutoya showed me his right cheek, a small bruise contrasting against his extremely pale skin, "That answer works, I hope." I nodded, "She was mad at first, and screamed at me. After a moment, she calmed, and we talked. Long into the night."

"And?" Get to the point, man!

He laughed, his demeanor losing that harsh edge, "That curious, hm? Well, it went well, considering the circumstances. She wants time. I told her to take all she needed. That is where the two of us currently stand."

I asked, "Are you glad or..."

"I expected her to be less cordial. So in a sense, it's a victory. If one of us to die, it would be Pyrrhic. Here's hoping the killing is prolonged," Narutoya raised his drink.

"That it ends now..." I was hoping, but... Well, what were the chances of us being that lucky?

Narutoya set his teacup down, "As much as it humbles me to speak these words, I must. A gentleman pays his dues. So thank you, Naoya. I will find a way to repay your kindness in bringing us together again."

I shrugged, "Nothing much on my part, Narutoya. I just... I couldn't bear to think how lonely you both would be if you just ignored each other's pain..."

"What of you and Kotoko? Do you intend to notify her similarly to how I confessed to Kicho?" He gave me another serious look, like he expected honesty from me. To be fair, I owed him that much.

"If you really think... I have to, eventually... Otherwise Monokuma will just tell her instead... I just don't want her to hate me." Even if she did hate me, it wouldn't change my plan. It would make it harder to protect her, though.

Narutoya nodded, "A conservative answer, but a reasonable one. Would you like me to join you?"

I waved my hand, "No. I have to do this on my own. If I don't, it'll feel like I'm not being sincere. If all's well, she might forgive me."

"Here's hoping..." Narutoya's smile dropped, "That and our survival are what's most important. If we were to give up, it would be pointless."

"You're right... No matter what happens, we'll keep living, right?"

He hesitated for a moment, "Yes. That would be best."

Within moments, he asked me about my time with the others, and our train of thought quickly derailed. But I knew that, should anything happen, he'd be there for me. Probably

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Silver Tongue". Despite much hesitation, Narutoya has finally chosen to make you his disciple in the world of business. This skill allows you to deal more damage during Panic Talk Action events.**

 **You have been awarded Narutoya's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	12. Honoka Asai's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Honoka Asai, huh? The Ultimate Eroge Producer, a girl who violated nearly every law in the book when it came to producing her products. Let alone writing and voicing in them, she was only ten when she started. Her parents were, naturally, charged with allowing her to obtain and drawn inspiration from obscene material. Turns out she just started off with Japanese history textbooks, taking simple tales and illustrating them into erotic masterpieces. Some shady prosecutors didn't let up despite this. It didn't stop Honoka from her craft, obviously.

What kind of person was she in the flesh, though? She was surrounded by rumors; she was a super analyst who could imagine scenarios with every person she met; that she fantasized about everyone she met, or that she had files upon files of 'inspiring content' on her at any given time. Others still claimed she learned it all from personal experience; a disgusting but not altogether impossible theory.

Deciding to meet her for myself, I asked her one day if we could go to the cafe together. She was excited and said yes, telling me to meet her there just past noon today. Now I was waiting outside the cafe for thirty minutes past the wait time, wondering if she was just wasting my time on purpose when she came running from the direction of the hotel, bread in her mouth. Did she think this was funny?

"Sorry I was running so late!" Honoka coughed out as she dropped her bread to the ground. Not toast; just bread, "...Shit."

"Was that pun worth it?" I deadpanned.

She sighed, scratching the back of her head, "Guess it fell a little short, huh?" I groaned at that one, "Okay, okay, I'll stop. I'm sorry I'm late though. Couldn't even toast it before I left... But when a cute girl like Kicho asks you for help choosing an outfit, you don't say no."

I opened the door to the cafe, "Ladies first?"

She chuckled, "Oh, pretending to be a gentleman, hm? I bet you make all the girls cry of regret into their tear-stained pillows..." She sized me up, ignoring my gesture entirely, "Or perhaps you don't swing that way. Or you're a gentler sort, preying on the weak and lonely. There's so much possibility here..."

"I don't intend to get involved in what you do," I spoke plainly, "I just wanted to befriend you."

"Oh, but isn't that how it always starts?" Honoka smirked as a troublemaker might, "And then before you know it, you're caught in the throes of passion, clinging to each other, ravenous for that electric feeling you get every time you touch, the way they make your heart race... Ah, it's wonderful what loves does."

Uh... Right. "I think you're imagining a little bit more than just love," I remarked.

She laughed, "Perhaps you may be right," She walked into the cafe and I followed, closing the door myself so it didn't ring that annoying bell every time, "Hey, do you like anyone here?"

"Well, I don't hate anyone here..." I didn't. Yet. I hoped I wouldn't have to.

"I meant like as in you'd push them down over a table and *censored* their *censored* until they can't walk anymore..." Honoka must have been fantasizing about it, standing there listlessly, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth, "Such carnal desires..."

I facepalmed, "Why's there always got to be someone like this? Damn pervert."

Honoka frowned, "How rude. I'm more than just a pretty face and a lewd mind! Just ask; I'll surprise you, I promise."

"We'll see about that..."

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Honoka invited me to the cafe again, where she had gathered manga from all around the stores she could gain access to in the city, "Look at all this source material I found..."

"Looks more like the kind of stuff that Otaku hide in their bedroom," I answered, uncertain how to feel about the many... 'interesting' titles she had gathered.

"I need inspiration, you know!? It's been so long since I've made a game I truly felt passionate about..." She turned away from me, "And if I'm going to beat Ryuu, I have to make a really good game."

Uh... "But it can't be adult, right? At least... not erotic. So why do you just have eromanga here?"

Honoka explained as if I was a child, "Because, silly. I just need to make the perfectest game ever and just... remove the lewd. That's the best way for me to go about this."

"I doubt that would work..." Why would it? One can't simply strip content without at least bridging those gaps, "Why not just make an original concept?"

Her happy demeanor vanished, and she spoke softly, "I can't... I'm no good at it."

Wow, that was an abrupt attitude change. Wonder if I hit a sore spot, "Still... Do you want someone to like, test it? I really don't have much of anything else to do."

"Really!? You'd test my game for me!?" She exclaimed excitedly.

"W-why not... it won't kill me."

Honoka cheered, "Alright! Now I just need to think of a concept... Hrm... How do you feel about detailed gore?"

I shook my head, "No Berserk please."

"I was thinking more Blood C, but that's fine..." She started picking up the manga off of the table and glancing through them. She threw me one, "Skim it. Get ideas that are cool. Got it?"

I didn't know what she would find cool, or what content I could find in these that would work as a standalone, but I nodded, "Yes, Miss Asai."

She grinned, "That sounds pretty official. I like it... Now hurry up, slave!"

Wha!? Her attitude changed so quickly!?

 **Free Time Event 3#**

A few days had gone by with no word from Honoka, but finally she came to me with a game in mind. She excitedly invited me to test it and rushed me into her room, locking the door and closing the blinds behind us.

"Any reason for the secrecy?" I asked, sitting down in her rolling computer chair. Damn, it was comfortable, though...

She started checking the corners of the room and looking into the vents, "Have to make sure there's no surveillance cameras in here. If Ryuu gets the drop on my designs, he could sabotage me or worse... Plagiarize!"

"Isn't that morally wrong? And against game design?" I didn't know that much about it, but I presumed that would be frowned upon.

"The best games ever made steal concepts from other games more than they innovate," Honoka chuckled, "Isn't it the same, whether it's a game you made before or someone else's? Improving on an old concept is still taking those base assets. New graphic engines based upon old ones or made to emulate reality, character types, backstories... What hasn't truly been handled before? The trick to the best games is they blend content in a better way."

I didn't know enough about game design to really argue that point. It was true in art that most of the greatest paintings came from those inspired by others, trying to find something new. But even innovation was tied to understanding the old, the 'cliche'. Factor in things like Greek views on the soul and the collective unconscious, and you could argue that everything we do has been done before.

"That's a real complicated way to look at it, honestly. But I doubt Ryuu would blatantly steal from you if he wants to beat you fairly," I commented honestly.

She shook her head, "If he wants to even compete on my level, he'd have to have at least tried my products. How could he conceive the best game ever if he hasn't played the top in the genre?"

Well, I couldn't say that was wrong, "But still... An older project isn't the same as an ongoing one. And especially one he intends to compete with you over."

"True... But in my experience in this industry, we've all had bad experiences. And more so, I can't believe the shady shit he might have done to reach his position. The world of game development is filled with working your crew like slaves, underpaying in foreign lands, strict deadlines, PR disasters, dealing with the toxic review culture..."

I cringed, "Right... There was that big issue back when... What was it, #Playergate or some shit? "That doesn't begin to cover the censorship movements, or how our country treats the West like they all go to Bible School and haven't even heard of a clitoris outside the mention of it being Satan's doorbell," Honoka cursed, "Fucking seriously? Have they not seen their action movies? Americans love bloody films and using sex appeal blatantly... Hell, they even invented modern tentacle porn!"

Why did she know that? Why did America do that? What the fuck, Evil Dead!? "We're getting sidetracked. Can I test the game or..."

Honoka's eyes widened, "Right, right! Okay! I um... Well, I can't say I put my heart into it. I did this hyped up on caffeine, tissues, and extended testing... It was painful work."

Tissues? "Is this game going to make me cry?"

"No. Why?"

...Okay then.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

After a considerable amount of time, I finally managed to obtain the best ending in Honoka's test game. It was... much lewder than I expected. She explained she intended to cut that out later but she wanted to see how it worked as of now.

"So how was it, Naoya?" Honoka excitedly asked as i closed the game, the ending theme tearing my heart apart after the climactic ending. I couldn't bear to think of those last few moments when my favorite character had to... No, it hurt too much to even think about.

I wanted to cry after what I'd seen, "It was... starkly beautiful. And awful. Much like our own situation... Why the hell did you have to end it there, though!? God damn it...!"

The only thing worse than a cliffhanger ending was the cliffhanger ending she just put me through.

Honoka laughed, "Sorry, sorry... Should have warned you how bleak this work of mine was. But murder mystery seemed a fitting theme, considering our situation."

"I guess so... I just don't see how you intend to just cut that out, though," I was being honest, "The parts you included were quite seriously amazing, though... Even if it's not what you needed for the competition with Ryuu, but it's a beautiful experience, Honoka... I'd be proud."

"You really mean that, Naoya?" I nodded, and she gave a small smile, "It's better than nothing, I suppose. Maybe I should just give up and let Ryuu win... How can I ever compete with him? I'm just some loser who makes games in a dark room..."

I walked over to her, "Honoka... Is that how you really feel?" She didn't answer me, just biting her lip, "You think you're a loser?"

Honoka sighed, rubbing one of her legs against the other, "Well, it's true, isn't it? The one game I tried to make that wasn't an eroge was immediately shot down for being garbage... I put my heart and soul into it, and..."

"That so?" Someone here ruined her life telling her that, didn't they? I've never seen Honoka cry or fall silent, and the way she's trembling right now made it clear how much it hurt her, "Then fuck 'em. You said you already made the concepts for it? Then do that one. And if Ryuu has any eye for developer's love in games, he'll understand. That's what you want, right? Not to win, but for him to acknowledge you?"

"Do you really think he'd ever acknowledge my talents? I was hopeful at first, but now..." She fell to her knees, "What if I can't? What if I'm just like Ibuki, and I can never do more than what I'm good at!?"

Mioda, the Ultimate Musician. Rather, the Ultimate Light Musician, who gained notoriety for her... 'unique' take on heavy metal. "I doubt you could be that bad... And even if you are, you can just improve, right? Do it 'til it works? If anything, Ryuu could help you iron out the kinks, yeah?"

Honoka looked up at me, tears in her eyes, "But I like my kinks."

"Not what I meant. This is the only advice I can give you, Honoka. Anything more is up to you."

"Well... I suppose I could try and dredge the old project notes up... If I didn't delete them, that is... Thanks, Naoya. I appreciate your guidance," She gave me an innocent smile, the only innocent part about her at this point.

I nodded, "Sure thing. Now make Ryoji play this game. I wanna see him cry."

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Honoka had finally finished working on her old project when she came to bug me one day. We headed back to the cafe where we first met and she excitedly told me of all of her brilliant plans to impress Ryuu with her best game ever.

"So what do you think!?" Honoka exclaimed her last question much more loudly than necessary. She was getting very high-spirited over her games now. It seemed to me she had finally began to overcome the negativity in her past and broaden her horizons once more.

I felt guilty when I answered, "I spaced out a little. I'm just... I'm amused by how you've grown since we met. I'm glad to see you smile so much."

Honoka turned red, "W-what!? You... Don't mess with me!"

"Haven't you noticed?" I asked her, expecting a serious response, "You don't have to hide from that truth, Honoka-chan. I'm glad you're happier. We all are."

"That may... be true. Huh... I've never really thought about deep stuff like that. Mostly I just think of deep-" I couldn't let Honoka finish that sentence.

I raised a hand, "Stop right there! Please, do not say whatever you were going to..."

Honoka laughed, "I was mostly teasing you. I'm not just a bad girl, you know. I'd be your good girl, too."

"Damn honest..." I shook my head at the perverted girl before me, "So what will you do now, huh?"

"I'm not sure. Not die, probably. Maybe apologize to whoever's life I ruined. I don't even know, actually... I hope I'll figure it out, but..."

I assured her, "When you do, just let me know. I'll go with you. If you want me to, that is."

She smiled, perking up a little, "Thanks, Naoya. I'll help you if you get any girl problems, too! I know how to... work my tongue on them."

"Damn pervert..." I chuckled to myself.

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Girl Talk". Honoka has helped begin to overcome her anxieties in developing games. This skill allows you to regain more Influence against female opponents and take less damage from their statements.**

 **You have been awarded Honoka's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	13. Ryuu Nomoya's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer. He had a powerful reputation for his work with Hayato Pepper, the other most accomplished in his field as an animator, voice actor, and potential murderer. We'd never knew; he was killed by some serial killer a couple of months ago. That being said, Ryuu managed to finish their game with aplomb.

Why would I spend time with him? Well, it was on Ryoji;s request. Ryoji and him had grown fond playing games together, and when Aya joined, they needed a fourth. Hiro wasn't into playing games online, so they recruited me.

It was under this context I decided to spend some time with him elsewhere. He took me to some nearly destroyed gaming store, where everything was garbage and the employees were unhelpful. It felt just like home, this place.

Ryuu started the conversation, "This place... I still remember getting junk mail over their never-ending crappy newsletters..."

"Like you'd need a guide for every game you buy," I joked, "We have the internet."

"Yeah, let me just pay twenty bucks to figure out where that one hidden item is... Yes, no, that's not a waste of my money, I promise..." Ryuu continued the joke, talking like some generic idiot.

I nodded, "Sounds about right."

"You know, it's fun buying stuff from these guys at the same price they bought stuff from us." Ryuu said as he looked for games that seemed still intact.

"You don't have a high opinion of retailers for games, huh?" I shook my head, "Not that I expected a high opinion from you, but still... Let's not mock the dead."

He shrugged. "These guys weren't good for the devs or the customers. But I'll stop." He stretched for a moment, having picked up a few game boxes. He started dusting them off, "Hopefully these are still good. The packaging was never made to endure this much abuse..."

I never understood that, "Considering who typically buys them, I can imagine why. Replacements are a bitch to afford. Still, haven't had a game in a while. Might check one out... Huh... Oh, look. There's that strategy game they gutted. I remember you complaining about the story being shoddy, too..."

He shuddered. "I kept telling myself I'd rewrite the story from scratch myself, maybe make it a mod for the hackers, but never got around to it. The actual game was good, at least." He walked over to it and pried the box open to see if the game was intact.

"Well, would have saved me a hundred bucks... At least the girls were great." I sighed, placing one of the games into my pocket before he could see, just a used cartridge but mine nonetheless, "So what are you looking for anyways?"

"Anything, really. Games for the group to play, games I never got the chance to play, or just some old games I want to relive in case, well... But, no need to be dark at a time like this. Ever play that game about the wolf-god with a paintbrush tail?"

I rolled my eyes, "Maybe if you didn't buy almost exclusively Nantendo products, you wouldn't need to play catch up... But I didn't say anything like that..." They never even sent me a damn Strap before they had the nerve to go under, either.

"Hey man, development eats a lot of time. Stretching out would just mean more catch-up on all platforms."

And that was the day I got a game and Ryuu had to make three trips. Addictions cost lives, children.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Ryuu came knocking at my door early in the morning. "Hey, Naoya! I need a favour from ya!"

I roused myself from bed and walked over to my hotel room door. I slowly pushed it open, being greeted by Ryuu. What was he doing this early?

His hair was frazzled like a crazy person, and his eyes almost looked bloodshot from strain and lack of sleep. "Oh, uh, sorry if I woke you up." He scratched the back of his head, a little more than embarrassed. "I got a little excited with the game I'm making and my perception of time got all messed up again..."

"A little excited...?" You know those where are they now posters for crack addicts and runaways? He could have fit cleanly into either group, "Maybe you should sleep before you ask for my help. Do you even know what day it is?"

"Nope! Not at all!" He exclaimed without missing a single beat. "Anyways, I can sleep after this. I need you to play test my game."

I thought back. Why would he make a game right now? "Are you sure that I-"

Ryuu grabbed my hand and pulled me from my house, "Come on, time's going by! It'll be the dawn of the third day straight if you don't hurry over!"

"Fine, fine..." Ryuu led me back to the computer room he'd set up downstairs in one of the empty hotel rooms where he had been working. The state of the room was impressive.

"Alright, since I'm trying to make a game in Honoka's field, I decided my best bet would be an adventure game." He sat me down in front of a computer with the game in question loaded up before picking up a clipboard and pencil. "Feel free to comment as you go, or save it for the end. I'll be right here." He sat down in a chair some distance behind me, such that he could see the screen while I played.

I turned back to him, "You know I suck at games with choices, right? And if there's a long grind, this will take several days..." I started the game, "Well, at least the menus look good."

"Don't worry about that. There won't be any grinding here. Adventure game, not adventure rpg." He quickly took a note. "But thank you for the compliment toward the menus."

...

Two Days Later...

"I can't feel my legs, but... The final boss is dead. Fuck me." I looked over to see Ryuu unconscious, falling out of his chair. I shook my head, "Should have taken a break... but it's like caffeine or painkillers."

Ryuu eventually fell out of his chair, and jolted as his head hit the floor. "AH! GOD! Ugh... How long was I out..?"

I looked down at my watch, "...What day is it? What's your last note say?"

He looked down at his notes... "... I didn't date them. Uh, do you remember what day we started on..?" He walked over to another computer and looked down at the system clock.

"No... Just read the last note aloud. That'll tell us where you dozed off." I figured, since the game had such distinct locations.

"Ah... Let's see... 'In the marsh area, about to meet the second potential female love interest, fifth love interest in the game... Probably should reorganize the order love interests are met... He got distracted by a shiny thing and got caught in the trap, can he make it out?' ... Did you get out of that trap, by the way?"

I remembered, or so I thought, "Nah, we ended up getting married before I found out... Or, wait, did you not mean the catgirl trap? Oh, right... The marsh trap... We did not. I died and reloaded."

"You married the catgirl trap? Oh jeez, the marriage event isn't even possible for a ways off... Uh, how much of the game did you complete, by the way?" He started looking worried as he looked back to the system clock.

"I fell through a map in a dungeon and skipped it... What was that place? The puzzle area?" I laughed, "Sorry I skipped it. I didn't think trying to jump up a stair would be so funny. If it makes you feel better, still got a bad ending because we missed some side stuff."

"Ugh, well I'll have to make you replay that later... Well, uh, my sense of time is coming back to me a little and..." He clicks around on his computer for a bit before freezing up, and going dead quiet.

I sighed, "Yeah, we'll be here a little while longer..."

"... It's been 2 days. Uuugh... No wonder my stomach is stabbing itself and everything feels dry..."

 **Free Time Event 3#**

After a couple of days of recuperation, Ryuu knocked on my door again. This time; at a much more reasonable hour. "Hey, Naoya! You got a bit?"

I opened the door, prepared for this visit, "Am I supposed to jump in a corner for thirty minutes?"

Ryuu waved his hand, "No, no, no... That, and then you talk about any flaws you personally found."

"Aw, man..."

An hour of jumping in a corner later...

"Sometimes I think taking jumping out would be easier," I finally said it, "But then we'd get mad about not making a two inch jump... You just can't win..."

"Yeah, sorry about that. But, well, even if I took jumping out, collision issues would still be there. Can't have you fall through the floor just by running at it." He made a quick check on his clipboard before turning the page.

"So, let's talk flaws. Everything you think needs improvement. I'm, ah... especially concerned with how you think the eroge content turned out."

How did I put this delicately? "Have you ever seen a woman naked before? Like... I didn't think it'd be difficult to understand what they like, but god damn."

Ryuu raised an eyebrow at me.

"Like, the music was memorable enough. The writing was great, not the best from an eroge, but definitely above par. Then the scenes just... I felt like I was watching American porn sometimes with the dialogue..."

"Ah, I see..." He scribbled down some notes at my comments. "And the lust system? What are your thoughts on that?"

Right, that... "Surprisingly... All the do not want moments were written quite well... Spider Forest gave me nightmares that will haunt me until I die a lonely, horrible death. Although it was kind of broken how susceptible one party member was to that... Elves aren't that bad..."

He scribbles down more notes. "I see, I see... Any other complaints?"

"Not that I can think of... Besides the enjoyable scenes' poor handling, it was an amazing game. Though I wish the ending had more of an epilogue. It would at least impress Honoka as is, but she's going to be hard to beat." She'd laugh at what I just said.

He jotted down my final comments. "Heh, would it? I wouldn't be so sure. She has a lot more life experience than me in this field, as well as practical experience. Your comment earlier hit the nail clean on the head, after all..."

"I feel she might hit you pretty hard if she heard that. She carries herself as an unsullied princess, don't you know?" Or so she said.

He smiled at that, "I wouldn't put it past her." He seemed to drift off for a moment before shaking his head. "Well, thanks for the playtesting. I'll see what I can do to fix the problems you helped me find. You'll be the first to know when it's ready. Take care, Naoya."

 **Free Time Event 4#**

I wondered how Ryuu's competition with Honoka was going. They weren't going to rush their projects, of course, but it was interesting to see how their rivalry played out. I did wonder whose life he ruined; who ruined his, but that wasn't something I'd just ask. I found myself in the cafe having a drink when the bell to the building rang.

"Oh, hey Naoya. Didn't know you'd be around here about now." It was Ryuu. He set some water to boil and set a tea bag in a cup, and turned back to face me. "What brought you out here today?"

I nearly spilled my drink, "Oh, Ryuu. The Dragon has arrived. If only you lived in Echigo..."

I sat at a table nearest to the counter, "What's going on, Ultimate Game Designer?"

"Not much. I just felt the burnout coming on so I thought I'd take some time to unwind." He poured the boiling water into his cup and brought it over to the table, sitting across from me. "Take the time to think about this 'game', dissect it somehow."

"You had a partner right? Before he was... You know, incapacitated..." That was a way to phrase it, I guess, "What would they think?"

He shrugged. "Probably say this is all some convoluted social experiment, and the camera will get pointed out to us when the first death happens."

My eyes widened, "Oh, game... Not your game... They'd actually be dead in his pranks, right?"

He nodded. "He told me they were fakes, or really good actors. I never questioned it, I couldn't afford to. If I wanted the financial support, I had to stay in my lane. Looking back on it, though, it's hard to fake most of the things he had."

"Hence he got murdered by Lorraine... From what Michi's mentioned, he was good at eliminating criminals... Still, to think you worked with him... I hope you didn't know about his... little hobbies." I sighed. There's no way Ryuu would, right? "I mean... Right?"

He shook his head. "All I could say for certain is that he got bodies and used them in his little 'pranks'. Even if I admitted to myself they were real, I couldn't tell you if he was a killer, or just bought them from killers." He calmly took a sip of his tea, and stared into it as he continued. "Either way, it was horrible to let him go on that long, but... Well... I didn't have much choice..."

I glanced down at my drink, averting his gaze. Maybe if he had split with him, Ryuu would have ended up in one of those videos. Still, though... "It's things like this that make me glad I don't have many friends... Or any, outside of here. Your talent can do some good. Mine just... gets in the way."

He sighed. "The world is a cruel place. Such is life." He looked up at me. "Sure, my talent can make amazing art, but your talent can fly clean in the face of fate, if people took you seriously."

"You can have a career. I can swindle people and sell crystal balls made of glass on a street corner. That's not a fair comparison..." I hated my talent more than anything else, "Lately, I've only predicted bad things. Horrible, awful things... Having to live through them is... painful. I'd trade you in an instant."

He closed his eyes in thought for a moment. "... Perhaps. You can't make a career off of an ability that shakes the foundations of philosophy as we know them, no." He paused for a moment. "Well, it's the hand you're dealt, in the end. You have to play it. You never win if you always fold, after all."

I raised an eyebrow, downing my drink in one last gulp, "If you say so... I'm always ready to fold them..."

And that awkward silence lagged until i went back to my room. I'd had an excruciating time in my nightmares, living out as the protagonist in his game the night before. I do not like spiders.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

It was late at night this time when Ryuu knocked on my door. His knocks were notably quieter than normal, however. "Hey, Naoya? You still awake?"

I slowly opened the door, "Yeah?" I yawned, trying to keep myself quiet and mostly failing.

"Hey. Mind if I come in? I need to talk to someone... About a lot of things." He spoke with an almost solemn tone.

"Uh... Sure," I stepped aside, and he walked in, "I've never invited anyone in here before. Please no stabs..." I was joking, but it didn't lighten his mood at all, "Man, you alright? Did Honoka do something?"

"No. Well... Kinda..? We'll... We'll get to that..." He took a seat, and waited for me to sit down as well.

I obliged, "I have a feeling I won't like where this goes... I haven't felt more foreboding than when I met Kotoko here..."

He took a deep breath, still collecting his thoughts. "Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking and... I don't know who ruined my life, and I'm not completely sure who's life I ruined either." He sighed, "I could take a guess how I ruined someone's life, but I don't know who and it's tearing me up. A lot."

"That, huh? I ruined Kotoko's life, if that helps at all. And... what ruined my life, you certainly couldn't have done." In fact, I doubted it was possible. It had to have been a dream, what I recollected that cold wintry night, "If you don't know, there's nothing you can do."

"Hmm... I was hoping you might be able to help me figure it out. Do you know who's had their life ruined by a loss? A friend or family member, perhaps..?" Well, that would be easy. Not.

I shook my head, "We've all lost, to an extent. Have you asked Ryoji or Honoka yet? Do they even know theirs?"

He shook his head. "For as much as I hang out with them, I haven't asked them. I should talk to them when I get the chance, I suppose..." He sighed, before changing the topic. "As for what ruined my life... I can only really wonder how anyone here could have been a direct cause of it..."

"You don't have to say it. If it's painful..." I sighed, "I mean, I'd like to help, but not if it costs you any peace of mind..." I leaned back in my chair, thinking on how I'd react to the person who ruined my life. Would I forgive them? Could I?

"No, it's fine. I... I think it'll help if I let someone know." He took a short, deep breath.

"Before all of this, I was... In a bit of a long distance relationship. She lived relatively close; we could drive to each other if we really wanted to, but most of our interactions were over text or online. One day, almost at random, she went completely quiet. Some time after that, I heard news that she had attempted suicide. Keyword attempted. She's in a coma, but she's still alive. Well, was alive, I should say, now..." He paused, seemingly coming to this realization only just now.

I thought to myself for a moment, "Well, I heard that some groups protected people in hospitals, but... You never know, right? I wouldn't give up hope yet... That's... I'm sorry, Ryuu."

He smiled at me. "Well, even a scrap of hope is better than nothing, isn't it? Anyways, there was a procedure that would bring her back from her coma, and we could be together again. The only problem was the cost. And, well, that leads into how I ruined someone's life. But... I don't know what drove her to suicide; let alone how anyone here in specific could have done that. Narutoya might have the potential, but he doesn't strike me as overly malicious, as to drive someone to suicide..."

"A telemarketer... Huh. Could be, but we'd have to wait and gauge that. We have computers... If Monokuma gave us access... You could find out, but... Nah, he won't do that unless it's a motive." I cursed the bear in my head, and again in my dreams, "Still... I'll be here for you. If you need anything or... or if you figure something out."

"Thanks... I really appreciate it, Naoya. And, uh, there is one last thing..." He looks away at that, his tone becoming less somber, and more simply uncertain.

I asked, "What... is it?"

Still looking away, he scratched the back of his head, "Well... I love Tamiko, I really do. But... In our time here I've... Started feeling rather attached to Honoka..." He swallowed. "... A lot more than I should for being in a relationship... Especially if Tamiko's still alive..."

"You know better than I do what loving multiple girls means. You've played enough eroge, lately. What you do with that is up to you, but... I doubt she would fault you with finding comfort in Honoka..." Once again, her perverse ideas about what I said came to mind, "Even if she's a bit... eccentric."

"... Well, we'll see where this goes then." He sat quietly for a moment before he stood up. "Well, That's all I really wanted to talk about. Thanks for letting me talk to you, Naoya."

I nodded, "No problem, Ryuu. See you later." And like that, he left.

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Hacker". Ryuu has confided in you and bonded over your mutual interests. This skill allows you to limit truth bullets to three (excluding lies).**

 **You have been awarded Ryuu's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	14. Aya Nakajima's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star. She was loud, excitable, and a major contributor to our group. I was thankful, but that made her a target. A way to quickly instill despair, whether I liked to think that way or not. That being said, I enjoyed the time I spent with Hiro, Ryoji, and her.

That was why, when she invited me out to the field, I thought nothing of it.

When I arrived, she was in uniform, but no one else was here, "Aya... Am I early?"

Aya shook her head, "No way! I only invited you, after all!"

"Why me?"

"We need to work on your fundamentals. Ryoji can at least hold his own... But if you want to stand up to Hiro's power, you're going to need some personal training, courtesy of me!" She smiled and gave me a thumbs up, striking a cool pose and everything.

I could hardly believe this, "If you really want to, I don't mind. Just know that you might be wasting your time."

Aya yelled, "No! Spending time with others is never wasting time! Every one of us is a precious member of the group, you know!?"

"If you insist... I won't argue." She extended her hand, and I returned in kind, "Hey... You're not naturally blonde, right? Do you dye it?"

"Y-yeah... What about it?" She stuck her tongue out at me., Her short blonde hair contrasted well with her tanned skin, her body toned and flexible.

I answered, "It looks good on you. That's all."

She stuttered, blushing more than just a little, "I-if you say so... I-I'm not sure about that..."

"That reaction just makes me want to tease you more, you know. You're such an innocent soul... I do mean what I say, though." I walked over to her, "So, practice, right? I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Y-yeah, good! That'll take my mind off such things!" She kicked the ball towards me, and I felt an intense, murderous desire...! Her eyes went dark and became flames lapping at her bangs; she was hyped to play, and I was definitely going to bruise.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Aya and I had returned to the field for another day of training. I was progressing, and she told me she was proud of how hard Ryoji and I were working to make up for our lack of skills. That wasn't meant to be mean, right?

"Today we're working on fundamentals, again? Do you understand, Himura-kun!?" She yelled at me from across the field. She was going to play goalie, and my one goal was to get the ball past her. She said it would teach me strategy and timing.

I grinned at her, "Yeah, I'm ready to get destroyed..."

A tense feeling filled the air. I moved the ball with my feet, gauging her movements. She only moved slightly, so as to keep her eyes on my feet at any given moment, ready to react to the slightest movement towards her.

I'll summarize what happened next. I got rocked in body and soul. We never even stood a chance. In fact, it was so bad, so awful, so thorough our ass-whooping that she scored on us several times before she finally relented. She's an Ultimate for a reason, you know?

Needless to say, I was pretty much expecting my defeat. I fell back onto the field, the grass making my back itch as I stared up at the beautiful cerulean sky, small white clouds passing overhead, too thin to make shapes.

"You tried your best..." Aya was sweating, too. She threw me a bottle, and I caught it (with my face). She opened her own, drinking from it, some water splashing her face when she held it up too quickly. She coughed, "Ouch... Wind pipe... I need to slow down, haha!"

I laughed, taking sips from my bottle sporadically. I had an awful tendency to drink cold water so fast it'd piss the nerves off on the roof of my mouth. That's what caused brain freezes. I didn't like them.

"I don't understand what you expected..." She met my gaze, a confused expression on her face, "I never would have scored on you. You're the best for a reason. Hiro wouldn't be your rival if you weren't so damn good..."

Aya capped her water bottle and set it down on the grass beside her as she leaned over and fell onto her backside, "Honestly, I don't understand the whole Ultimate thing. I mean, I'm good, but the best? Hard to say, really. So many people with innate talent don't harness it, don't try. Many more are pressured or made to do other things," That was a surprisingly accurate way to think about it, huh? "Even if I am the best, that's no fun. Challenge makes us improve."

I joked, "Trying to make someone better than you so you can strive towards a goal then, right?"

"Exactly... I was sad to hear that I hurt Hiro's self-esteem. That I muddied his dreams," Aya's expression soured, "Some airhead football lover like me taking a title he wanted... How ridiculous is that?"

"He's gotta work for it, then," I reassured her, "Besides, you being better means he has goals to achieve, right? No problem."

Aya nodded, "Yeah, you might be right... I'll think about it like that," she glanced down at her watch, "Oh, it's nearly three!? I have to go meet Honoka at the cafe... I'll see you later, Naoya!" I waved her off.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Aya continued befriending Hiro, Ryoji, and myself. She also spent much time with Honoka and Kicho, mostly at the former's urging. Hiro's rivalry with her continued to intensify; though it never grew toxic, or so it appeared.

One day we were training when Ryoji and Hiro had to leave early. Hiro wanted to talk with him, so Aya and I were left to clean up. I helped put away the nets while she turned the sprinklers on to water the field. We were lucky the city had any power left at all.

"How do you like our friends, Naoya?" Aya asked me when we were walking back to the hotel.

"You mean Hiro and Ryoji, right?" She confirmed with a nod, "Hiro's... abrasive at times, but he's really managed to adapt to his new surroundings. I'm hopeful he'll keep us safe, come what may. As for Ryoji... He's got his faults, but he has a golden heart. Though sometimes Ryuu or I can be unkind to him."

Aya closed her eyes, chuckling, "I see."

I raised my eyebrows, "Why do you ask, hm? Do you always gossip about friends? I wonder what you've said about me."

"Gossip? No, no... I just like to know that everyone's together for the right reasons," she explained, "Because you want to, not have to. I don't want Hiro or I to be stringing you along for our sakes, you know.

"I doubt someone as considerate as you could treat me so coldly, Aya-chan," I teased her. Most of us abandoned the honorifics here, but sometimes we'd use them in moments of awe or frivolity.

Aya clammed up and left a silence between us. Did I do something wrong again?

My nervousness overcame me, and I asked, "Aya?"

She jumped back, "O-oh... Sorry. I was spacing out. I've started doing that ever since we arrived... I don't know what's wrong, hehe...he..."

"Aya... I understand. You're worried, too, right? About this game, about your friends... It's natural to feel that way," I hoped I could bring her any measure of comfort in these dark times, "I mean... No, that's not fair. I don't know how bad it is for you. Who ruined your life, and how... I just wanted you to know that you're here."

"I know, Naoya... You're a good kid. Don't lose that part of yourself."

I gave her a mischievous look, "Sure thing, mom. Let's get back before they miss us, yeah?" She nodded.

When we reached the outside of the hotel, Aya thanked me. I asked, "Whatever for?"

"For listening... Sometimes it's hard to talk to the others. You seem to have that calming aura. It's easy to confide to you." She confidently answered.

"I... Thank you, Aya. It's embarrassing to hear you say that..." I laughed at my own pitiful reaction and we stepped inside.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

"Naoya!" Aya yelled to me as the ball flew towards my net. Hiro was in between her and me, his foot forward to move the ball in our direction, "Look out!"

I decided to try and block it and leaped for it. The ball hit me right in the stomach, and I flopped over onto it, coughing in pain but holding the ball between my legs, "Oh... I don't feel... good." I fell back onto my back, clutching my stomach in pain.

I awoke in my room. The ceiling was barren of any noticeable marks or graffiti. I slowly lifted my head up, and then my upper body. I felt my hands as I spread my fingers out, feeling each one. Nothing was broken. That was a start.

A knock from the door grabbed my attention, "Yes?"

The door creaked open and Aya walked inside, clutching a tray. She handed the tray to me, and I took it, excited. It was delicious-looking; some roast chicken, just dry enough to make your mouth water and some cranberry sauce. The hotel was overstocked with holiday food, though the desserts had long run out, "Like what you see?"

"This is for me?" I smiled up at her, "You're so kind, Aya-chan."

"Don't tease me...' She playfully punched my arm, standing by my bedside, "I felt bad for letting you get hurt. It's the least I could do."

I set the tray on the bed, "This is what I meant earlier, Aya... I know what Monokuma said, and I don't care."

She gave me a confused stare, "Hm?"

"I can't imagine someone like you ruining someone's life on purpose," I said it sincerely, "And I know you wouldn't seek revenge, either."

"Naoya... Talking about that again, eh?" She gave me a look of confidence, "You guys are my family, now."

I decided to tease her, just a little, "Ryoji's more than that, isn't he?"

Blushing, Aya averted her gaze, "Th-that's... How I feel is my business, thank you very much."

"True, true. But we both know he's fond of you. What shall you do?"

"Well... I... I actually might... Hrm..." Aya struggled to answer, "How I feel is difficult to explain... I do have feelings for him, but... not just him."

My eyes widened, but then it clicked, "Hiro, huh? Understandable. He's brash, but dependable. Athletic, caring, helpful, loyal. It's no wonder you might feel torn..."

Aya closed her eyes and nodded, "What do you think I should do?"

"I ain't choosing for you, Aya," I rebuked her offer, "Your future is yours to take. Just understand that whatever you choose, I'll support you. Consider me a friend for life."

For a moment, it seemed she bit her bottom lip, but she smiled and thanked me again, "You're right. I should just be honest with myself... I'll talk with Ryoji about it tomorrow. Wish me luck."

She headed to the door and opened it. I answered, "You don't need luck, Aya. You're a wonderful person. He'd be delighted."

Aya nodded one last time, "Y-yeah... It's embarrassing to hear you say that, but... You are right. Are you certain?"

"Confessing is an important first step, even if it's scary. If I liked someone, I'd do it, no hesitation," I reassured her, giving her my seal of approval.

"...Oh. Okay... I'll do my best!" She gave me one last smile, one different from the rest, and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

I glanced over at the tray she had left me and gripped the covers, "...Damn it. Why did I go and say that...? I just want her and Ryoji to be happy... So why does my chest hurt...?"

 **Free Time Event 5#**

I was happy when Aya and Ryoji formally broke the news to Hiro and I of their committed relationship. I was wishing the best for them, truly. Hiro dragged Ryoji off to celebrate and have a talk with him, man to man. Aya and I stayed behind in the cafe, discussing random topics amongst ourselves.

Then she broached the subject, "I discovered what may have ruined my life today..."

"Oh... Shit. Really?" She nodded, "You don't have to tell me, Aya. If it's painful..."

"I brought it up to say it. I wanted to tell you, since you've always supported me," She spoke earnestly, and I felt my heart melt, "I only heard rumors while I was abroad, but... It turns out my hometown was attacked by some kind of attacker. My school was attacked, and my family was killed in a smaller sports game... I didn't want to believe it, but I later confirmed it."

I could barely believe it, "...Damn. I... I lost my mother when I was young. Hit and run. And my father, he... He was in this city... He didn't make it. He fled to the shelter here and was killed in an attack in the sewers..."

Aya frowned, "...Naoya... Where were you?"

"I was separated from him because of my talents. I foresaw his end... I pleaded with him not to go, but he said it was his duty to defend his hometown. He left me with a family friend and... never returned," I felt my hands clench up, an unconscious reaction every time I remembered the feeling of clutching his leg and crying, "I..."

"Naoya, it's okay..." She placed a hand over mine, "I understand how you feel... This loss, it's deep, and it won't go away... We can't just walk away or close our eyes to that. We have to live for them. Otherwise..." Aya's voice cracked, "What was the point of our talents, right?"

I felt tears coming on, but I fought them back, desperately. Hiro told me to be strong, to never give in. Even if we died, we had to smile! "Y-yeah... That goes for you, too. We have to be strong, for the loved ones we lost."

Aya nodded, "Of course... And I know I can do that, if I'm here with..." She stopped herself.

"I'll be by your side through this, Aya. You're dear to me..." I wondered how that might sound. I felt my cheeks grow hot from the thought of her hand on mine, placed so delicately, so gently.

"Hey! What's going on with you two!? Did we miss much!?" Hiro burst into the cafe with Ryoji just behind him. I fell backwards onto the floor, smashing my head against the floor.

Ryoji ran to my side, "Dude, are you alright? That was a bad fall..."

I just laughed awkwardly, "Oh, nothing. You scared me..." Ryoji helped me to my feet, and I thanked him, "We were just talking about you guys. Ryoji... You're lucky to have someone who relies on you so much. You protect her for Hiro and me, too."

Hiro nodded, putting hands on our shoulders, "We fight for our friends! Damn straight!"

Aya smiled across the table, giving us a cheery grin. And in that moment, I felt joy.

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Speedster". Aya considers you to be a close friend for life. This skill allows you to move your cursor faster during Improved Hangman's Gambit.**

 **You have been awarded Aya's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	15. Ryoji Iwasaki's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist. An interesting talent for a quiet, unobtrusive guy like him. Despite Ryuu's occasional antagonism of him, he was a kind guy, not very in the way. It was almost like he understood better than to take center stage in a game like ours.

Of course, that made me all the more curious. Hence, when I found him in the ruins of the game store I'd heard Ryuu and Honoka discuss once or twice, I decided to try and speak with him there.

"Ryoji-san! What are you up to?"

Ryoji nearly screamed in a knee jerk reaction to my unexpected entrance into the store behind him, "Damn it, dude! Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

I chuckled, "Please, don't. That would be a dumb way for me to get executed. And a waste of a perfectly good trial."

"Gee, thanks..." Ryoji didn't offer a rebuttal, instead sinking back to his normally poor posture.

"I'm kidding... Is this why you excavate old places?" I didn't mean it, but it sounded pretty damn mean, "Because you're not that well at handling people?"

Ryoji glared at me but sighed instead of verbally berating me back, "No, that's not why... Jackass..."

I stepped back, "Sorry, damn. I didn't mean to... Forget it. What are you looking for?"

"Tenran Saga... It's a game about some pretty eloquent storytelling, some cool ninjas trying to save the world. It's a strong fighter with-"

"Ah, Boob Ninjas. So you're that kind of guy, eh?" I chuckled, "I guess seeing Aya in her uniform is the best thing you've got here, huh?"

Ryoji glared at me again, "Dick. Did you come here just to insult me?"

Damnit, this wasn't working out, "Okay, you're not a fan of that kinda joke. Got it. It's hard to tell with everyone here. I figured someone like you would be fine," He gave me an odd look, "You know, someone who risks life and limb for old projects and art and stuff. That's pretty cool."

"I'm not here to be humored..." Ryoji responded defensively, "Bother someone else."

"...Yeah, you're right. I just... Well, I figured since Aya and Hiro keep dragging us along that you wouldn't mind talking, but I screwed this up all the way. See you, Iwasaki-Kun."

He didn't say a word until I reached the door, "I'm not... angry. Just... Can you watch what you say more?"

I nodded, "Y-yeah... I'll try. Sorry." And like that, I left the store and walked back to the hotel. Why did I say that stuff? It was almost like I was trying to piss him off... What was up with me?

 **Free Time Event 2#**

A few days had passed when Ryoji came to me to ask to hang out. He, Hiro, Aya, and I gathered at the field for an afternoon, and after Aya and Hiro left to shower, Ryoji and I painfully walked to the manga cafe. He wanted to find a manga he had never caught up on, and I wanted a drink to soothe my aching bones from the painful training.

"Why do they work us so hard...?" Ryoji fell against the desk as he got near it, clutching the side for dear life, "I can feel my body screaming at me to die..."

I sighed, walking to the drink area and starting up the milkshake machine, "Don't be dramatic; that's my job."

Groaning in pain, he lifted himself up off of the table and shambled to the new manga section, "If Detergent isn't here... I'll be quite upset..."

"Right... That manga where the protag is literally everything that exists," I rolled my eyes, "I'd rather Love Mina than that overpriced hype train..."

Ryoji cocked his head, "Really? You read Love Mina?"

I hid my blushing face behind the machine in between his gaze and mine, "It's a wonderful story, okay!? I don't have to explain shit...!"

"Whatever... Damn it. Ryuu still wants me to play that crippled girl simulator, too... He just wants to see me cry," Ryoji cursed under his breath as he found the D section for manga.

"Same. Er, I mean... It's not a bad game, Ryoji," I reassured him to no effect, "Okay, fine; it's fucking tragic. But it's still good."

Ryoji mumbled something and reached into the shelf, pulling out the last serialized entry into the Detergent series, "I swear, if this ending ruins this... I'll never forgive the writer."

I shrugged, "Good luck. Considering him, could go either way, really."

"Yeah, I know, I know..." He dismissed my comment somewhat hastily, "I am honour bound to finish it."

"Hahaha, really? Honour bound?" Once again, Ryoji glared at me, "I'm not judging! I just... It's a rare trait to see, nowadays. Especially in a situation like ours..."

Ryoji clicked his tongue, "I'm not going to play into that bear's plans. I'd sooner die than murder... Unless it was absolutely necessary."

I finished my drink, "Planning to be a martyr? It's easier to just close your eyes and play the bystander, you know."

"No!" he said it emphatically, "I refuse to stand by while others get hurt! I'm not that kind of person anymore!"

"...If that's how you feel..." To be truthful with him, I understood his feelings. Being a bystander was what tore me up inside on a daily basis... If I had only been more like Ryoji, I might not have been here... Maybe my dad... would still be alive.

With those dark thoughts swirling in my head, I had a quiet talk with Ryoji but departed early, saying I didn't feel well.

I went back to my room and opened up the briefcase I found in here. Where I had placed something near and dear to me. A small plush cat, a black cat with large whiskers named Moon. He had won it at a fair on his first date to a carnival with my mother... He gave it to me and said it was always meant for their first child if they stayed together...

I held that kitty in my arms and cried... To think, I likely ruined not only Kotoko's life but my own... Dad... I missed you...

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Ryoji and I were sitting in the cafe. He was fuming over Detergent's poor ending, and I was comparing it to a certain horror film by one N. Might Rhymalong. Needless to say, it was a letdown.

"God... I hated it... Now I need to find something else to read..." Ryoji commented offhandedly.

I pondered for a moment, "Try Hell's Lost Items. It's pretty lascivious at times, but I'm certain Honoka would recommend it, too."

Ryoji winced, "Don't mention her. She keeps trying to get me and Ryuu to hate kiss. It's creepy and weird!"

"...That's... Uh..." I sipped my milkshake, ignoring how thick it was to avoid that land mine, "What do you think about our practice? Have we made progress, or are we hopeless?"

"Probably just me..." Ryoji bitterly commented, "I'm notorious for fucking things up."

I asked, "...Ryoji... How did you become an archaeologist? I always meant to ask, but I just forgot..."

Ryoji sat back, "Well, that's... a painful story. Let's just say I was accused for a crime I didn't commit. In other words, someone here ruined my life. And I ended up on the run, hiding out in ruined buildings. Some haunted, some crumbling... Eventually, I gathered a knack for it."

"And you started freelancing with paranormal groups and excavation experts. Then you went to that private school up in Sakhalin, right? I read about you on the Hope's Peak wikia. You're pretty impressive, considering... Wait, no, I didn't mean-"

"I get what ya meant," Ryoji cut me off, "Your phrasing could use some work, though."

I prodded my cheek, "I really do, huh? Sorry about that... It's been a long time since I've talked with someone like this..."

Ryoji queried, "Which, personally, I find a little weird. What's wrong with you? I mean, people avoid me because of my conviction, my alleged crime. And then because I'd explore dangerous places or couldn't talk much at first... You're not that abnormal, though. Not kicked out of school, your family sounds normal..." He checked himself, "I mean, if it's not... I mean, I don't want to open old wounds. I'm just wondering."

"Ryoji... Fine. I'll tell you. But..." I sighed, thinking about whether I'd regret this, "Give me time to prepare myself, okay?"

"Sure, man." Ryoji smiled, "Take all the time you need. It's no big deal."

I nodded, feeling my emotions welling up inside me, "Y-yeah... Thanks."

 **Free Time Event 4#**

The next time Ryoji and I got together, I promised myself to tell him the whole story.

"Ryoji... I guess now's the best time to tell you... About my talent..." I started hesitantly.

Ryoji sat back in his chair. We had returned to the manga cafe for our discussion and both of us had a drink on the table. "I'm all ears."

I sighed, "So I dream about all kinds of things. What makes me good at it is that I can experience events that will happen to others beforehand. Like winning an award at school," I took a sip from my drink, "Of course, I had to prove it, but when I did, my friends were in awe. I never liked the attention I received, but..."

"You don't seem like the kind of guy that would," he responded with certainty, "Not like Narutoya or Hiro, in their own ways."

"Then I dreamed about my mother... getting hit by a car. Of course, I told her, screamed and cried about it, and she said she'd be careful..." Her last words to me played in my mind, "She was hit and left that day. I came home to my father crying on a call to the hospital. They didn't identify her until..." I slammed my fist on the table, "Then it happened to a friend. I warned him and they doubted me... and then it happened. So they called me a jinx. Said it was my fault my mother died, my fault my friend died, that I'd kill everyone who got close to me..."

Ryoji lowered his gaze, "That's fucked up to do to a child... Especially one who already must have felt guilty enough..."

I distinctly remembered how I felt coming to school after that. The pain, being sent to the back of the room by the teacher. Even though he publicly denied belief in my abilities, the selfish man didn't ever want me near him, "I had a dream that I was... Well, it wasn't good. I later realized the next day that I was likely a classmate of mine in the dream... Kotoko Utsugi. And instead of telling her, of warning her or reporting it, I shut my mouth. Before I knew it, she was at Hope's Peak Elementary and I couldn't intervene any longer," I bit my lip, "Because of my inaction, she suffered at the hands of Demons. And that led her to... to do some horrible things in turn."

"Naoya... That's... You can't blame yourself, can you? You were a scared child, just like she was," Ryoji tried to console me, "Man, I wouldn't hold that against you..."

"Did you join the Warriors of Hope!?" I shot back.

Ryoji's mouth went agape, "She... She joined..."

I nodded, "The Fighter of their group. She killed adults indiscriminately. Maybe she violated a few girls along the way, too," My dad had gone to the city as a doctor, to offer his services, "My dad went to Towa to help out the civvies. He... never returned. I have a feeling it might have been Kotoko to have done him in... That would be the cruelest irony for letting her down..."

"Naoya..." Ryoji quieted himself, "I won't tell the others. About Kotoko's... past. I imagine you've kept that under wraps to protect her, right?"

"Yeah, something like that..." I didn't like hiding information from the others, but I would do anything to prevent a killing.

Ryoji nodded, "I get it... Thank you for trusting me. I... I appreciate it."

I tensed up just a little, bad memories cascading through my mind, "If you'll excuse me... I'm not feeling well. I'll see you later." I stood up, waved to him, and stepped out of the door. Once he couldn't see me, I clenched my right hand so tightly I broke the glass I made my drink in, "...Why... Why was I cursed...?"

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Ryoji approached me one night and asked for me to walk with him to the cafe. I asked what he wanted me for, but he kept it vague.

As I waited for him in my seat, he was halfway through making us both drinks. He offered, and I decided to not turn down his offer for once, "Thanks anyways. It must be a pain, how much people rely on you, huh?"

"Not really," He answered, finishing his drink first, "It makes me feel important."

"That's an interesting way to look at it," I said more to myself than to him, "Still... Don't overwork yourself. Aya-chan might not forgive you, huh?"

Ryoji handed me my milkshake and sat across from me, stirring his tea. He was blushing at the mention of his new girlfriend, "She made that clear already."

I smirked, "Good. Know your place."

"Anyways..." He started off, glaring at me again, "I figured I'd tell you how my life was ruined. And whose life I suspect I ruined."

"Wouldn't it be ironic if it was Ryuu?" Ryuu had grown quite fond of antagonizing Ryoji and vice versa. I somehow managed to offend both at times, but I felt we were bonding more than trolling each other.

Ryoji sighed, "He actually joked about that, too. Sucks that he was right."

My eyes widened, "What, really!? How?"

"His partner... That bastard Pepper... He was involved in an investigation in the murder of my younger sister..." Ryoji growled, "That bastard likely did it, and Ryuu covered for him... To keep his career opportunity, he helped free a serial murderer..." He released his anger passively, sighing deeply, "That was the crime they eventually pinned on me. They never lost a case, so... They wanted a scapegoat. And they chose me."

That explained much to me, "So that's why you started ruin diving... And why, when you got famous, you went to Sakhalin instead of going home."

Ryoji nodded, "Sakhalin was... awful. It was an experience even more horrifying than my framing, if I'm honest. The way they treated their students... No, their livestock... It was sick," He held his head down in shame, "I... I didn't do too well. And when you reach a certain place in your class... Well, you get handled. I wanted to avoid that. I found out people were cheating, rigging the tests. Using that information to keep themselves from suffering. I asked, but they couldn't help everyone. The system wouldn't allow it."

"You son of a... You sold them out, didn't you?" I didn't need him to answer to know that was the truth of what he did, "What happened to the cheater?"

"I'd rather... not say," Ryoji trailed off.

I shook my head, "You're going straight to hell."

He got mad at me for that one, "You let the same shit happen to Kotoko!"

"But I didn't do it with my own hands! I didn't do it for my own god damn safety!" I yelled back at him before calming down, "Dude... That's... Taka. You ruined his life..."

"Your friend? The Academic Prodigy? Oh... Ohhh. I suspected his talent might not be legit, but..." Ryoji damned himself and our world, "Look... I'm obviously not proud of it, okay!?"

Was he taking my reaction that seriously? Guess I can't do sarcasm, "I'm mostly messing with you. I know all about the guilt life. Just... Maybe not tell him too soon, okay?" He nodded to agree, "Alright. Now let's drop it and talk about something more pleasant..."

Ryoji asked, "Hey... You talked to Aya, didn't you?"

"What do you mean?" I said casually.

"To give me a shot. No way a girl as wonderful as her would just... Waste her love on me," Ryoji sounded broken right then, giving me heart ache.

I struggled to answer that readily, "I... I may have discussed with her on the subject. I just told her to go for it, that's all. You and her make a good couple. Don't ruin it."

Ryoji griped about my interference, but then followed up, "Allow me to return that favor if I can. Do you like anyone here? Need a wingman?"

"N-no thank you..." I shot that idea down, clipping his wings right then and there, "I'd rather not invest myself in love during a killing game."

"So it's okay to push us to do it, but not for you, huh?" He sassed me, his arms folded as he gave me a disapproving smug grin.

I was flustered by his sudden attitude, "I didn't... Man, I can't win with you. I'm sorry for meddling. I won't anymore."

Ryoji just laughed at my reaction. Now if only things could stay like this...

 **You have unlocked the skill, "Autocorrect". Ryoji and you have bonded over your equally miserable histories. This skill will randomly point out the correct weakness in a debate; the rest of the time, it will suggest an incorrect choice. Watch out!**

 **You have been awarded Ryoji's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	16. Shiori Tojiko's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist (Complete)**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist. She came from a normal school where she had gathered a notoriety for reading the weather patterns flawlessly, even without the need for satellite imaging. She understood the technical side, but she had this almost mystical way of feeling it in the winds. Shiori only discovered her talent because she had a knack for shadowing other people at jobs she found interest in and learned to counter weather before it happened. Eventually, people noticed her ability and she earned her title. In all of her few interviews we had from her, she never really enjoyed the weather predicting. She had a perfect streak, yes, but it didn't interest her, like firefighting or construction. Detective work was now her interest, and she had gotten quite attached to Kojiro, much to his chagrin.

Kojiro eventually requested for the rest of us to distract her in the hopes of actually making decent progress in his investigation. Some of the others couldn't handle her high energy, so today it was up to me.

Today she decided that she would investigate the area near the hospital. We knew the front doors were locked by a door that read the number 14, but she wanted to search for alternative entry into the place. If one of us were to get hurt, medical supplies would be a must.

"Come on, Naoya! Daylight doesn't last forever!" Shiori urged me to hurry as we scouted the sides of the building. We obviously hadn't discovered anything, but she was still determined to gather some information that would benefit us.

I waved, "I'm walkin'. I brought a flashlight in case we did get caught out too late."

Tojiko turned and ran up to me, "Really? You're prepared like Sensei!? Or are you planning lewd things like Asai-chan?"

"I'd tell you if I intended to do anything like that," I rebuked her callous assumption, "Besides..." I decided not to tell her she was more like a little sister than a girl I could fall for, "This is the last side, right? Did you find anything?"

Shiori shook her head, "No... Just some graffiti. 'We're all going to die.' 'I never stood a chance.' 'If my son sees this, I'm sorry for leaving. Love, Goro Himura'... Hey, wait... That's your last name, right? Isn't that coincidental!?" I was already running past her to the wall, "Hey, Naoya! Wait for meeeeee~!" She tripped in her haste to follow and frowned at me from the grass she had landed in.

All across the wall, graffiti had been marked all over the place. Some in paint, some in ink, others in Sharpie, some in... in dried blood. Written with a green highlighter, the kind of green that makes you hate to see due to its brightness, read the words she had just relayed. My father must have gone to the hospital right off of the bat, huh? Did he escape, or was he still trapped inside?

"Himura!" Tojiko crashed into my back, knocking me off of my feet. She exclaimed, "Don't go and run like that! I was worried you might do something hasty!"

"Get off me..." I lifted myself up, knocking her onto her backside. I turned and quickly averted my gaze, having seen up her skirt, "Uh..." The black skirt her uniform required wasn't long enough for these kinds of situations. I shook my head, "Yeah, try not to yell. If we were located by rogue Monokuma..."

'Hehehe...' A chill ran down my spine. I jumped five feet in the air and focused my attention on the source. Behind one of the pillars holding up the gas station across the street, a red eye glowed, a lightning mark in the shade.

I growled under my breath and looked back, "Tojiko, start running!"

"But Naoya-"

"Go!" I lunged towards the Monokuma, "Focus on me, you dumbass!"

The Monokuma must have thought 'gladly' since it returned the favor, running towards me with its stubby legs, trying to reach a speed remotely frightening. I lifted my right leg, my dominant one, and jumped, slamming it in its chest. The Monokuma bounced away from me and hit the pillar, its black eye popping out of its socket and hanging there.

"Nightmare fuel for real..." I spotted Tojiko in the distance and ran off after her at a full sprint.

And that was how our first excursion into the city ended pretty poorly. I don't even know if I broke that damn thing, but I hoped so. I also made Tojiko promise to bring weapons for us both; just in case.

I went to bed that night wondering; just what were my father's last moments like? Was he at least happy? What did he think of me, the son who predicted both of his parents' untimely deaths? Did he hate me? ...Maybe I'll never know.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Operation: Underground had begun. We knew the mall was locked off by that damn electrical box, the one in the underground area, but Tojiko had thought up the brilliant plan to try and find where the wires led to. She figured if we couldn't turn the power on and move them, we might be able to disable the generator. Then we could just force the gates up. Once again, I felt our plan was doomed to fail. However she wanted to take me because I was 'reliable'.

I guess that was a compliment, but it only made me worry. I took an old golf club, starting to rust towards the end, where the club had been removed. Now it was just a painful piece of thin metal. This was for Shiori; it was lightweight, easy to wield, and not terribly lethal if she accidentally hit a friend.

As for myself; ever have desks in school with crossing metal bars holding them together? So imagine that, except about five or six feet long; just a painful, steel pipe painted green to match the colors of whatever construction project it was originally intended for, about 35 millimeters or an inch and a half thick. Enough to kill a Monokuma, I hoped.

The underground was not as dark as we expected; Tojiko went ahead, crouching slightly, flashlight in hand, "Every step we take echoes in here... Hello!?"

Her voice echoed, the least of my concern, "Don't make so much noise! Remember what happened last time!?"

Tojiko squeaked in surprise, "O-oh... Right. Sorry..." She held her head down, "I got too excited again... Kojiro-Sensei always scolds me for that, too. I get in the way of his investigations..."

"Well, if we practice this some more and you can control yourself, he won't mind, right?" I wish I hadn't said that.

"Really!? He'd let me participate in his adventures!?" She exhaled a bunch, breathing super heavily in excitement and anticipation, "You think he would!?"

I put my hand on her head, ruffling her hair, "Calm down, okay? I know that's your personality. It's cute, and a little endearing. But you need to hold it back, at least on the job. Alright?"

Tojiko looked up at me, awestruck, "I'm cute?"

"That's not the important part!" I angrily berated her, "Whatever I think... You just have to be quiet, okay? Let's focus so you can hang out with Kojiro, okay?"

"Okay..." She pouted and started walking forward again.

I sighed in relief that she was finally on track. We found the room the wires we could follow went to, but it was blocked by a door with a sign; only twelve people were allowed.

Eventually, we headed back without any incidents. I decided to ask, "You really enjoy this whole investigating stuff, don't you?"

"Of course!" Tojiko posed, smiling like an idiot, "Being a meteorologist is too boring... It's not exciting to sit around and talk about weather..." She sighed, holding the flashlight under her arm, "I want to see the world, to explore. I mean, why wouldn't I!? We survived the apocalypse! The bad guys were defeated and the world was saved... Shouldn't we enjoy it?"

I didn't expect such a serious answer from her, "You have a fair point, Tojiko. That's a noble goal to work towards. I've never given much thought to what I'll do after Hope's Peak..." I really hadn't, "My talent isn't meant for job hunting... All I can do is predict stuff in my dreams. Usually bad stuff."

Tojiko shrugged, "Then come with me! I'll make your life interesting!" She stuck out her tongue, striking another lame pose.

"Pass..." I refused instantly.

"But why!?" Tojiko ran up to me and grabbed my arm. I turned to her, and she was tearing, "Don't you like me?"

Tojiko... "Of course I care about you, Tojiko. It has nothing to do with that..." Her expression went blank, and I insisted, "We have to survive this killing game first, Tojiko. Isn't it too soon to plan for the future?"

Tojiko pouted at me again, "No! That's why we plan! We need something to look forward!" She jumped in front of me and started motioning to match what she was saying, "Don't you want to travel by sea or by air and see the world's greatest mysteries!? Maybe exploring darkened ruins or catching infamous criminals... And doing it all by the side of your friends!?"

"I don't..." I don't deserve to. That's what I felt compelled to say. Instead, I bit my tongue and altered my response accordingly, "I'll think about it. No promises. Okay?"

"Okay! That's enough... I'll convince you! Just you wait!" She pumped her fist into the air with a raucous yell. What an exhausting girl...

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Excursion three was down into the center of town. There was an entire section of the downtown area that had been rebuilt. While the hospital and the underground mall had signs of destruction, this area was cleaned up (mostly). If there were survivors to be found, they'd be in there. Unfortunately, the doorway to the gated community was blocked. You guessed it; the number nine marked the gate in dark red ink.

"Damn it...!" I kicked at the gate, but it didn't even budge, "Everything is blocked off. There's no side exits, no places to climb... Anything we try just draws Monokumas..." We had killed a few that appeared whenever I tried to climb over the gate. Normally, they were regular ones, but after one wielding a jet pack and a flamethrower attacked, I had given up on the idea completely.

Tojiko marked it on her handbook, "We still have a few more places to check out. We can't just give up already, Naoya."

"I know..." I spat at the ground, "Where to, next, then?"

"The subways are in ruins, but there's also the upper part of town. There's a shrine that leads out of town... We could check there," Finally, a potential way out.

When we arrived, the door was blocked off and had a number etched into the redwood; five.

Tojiko frowned, "Only five? The fastest way to get out of town... At least, the safest is through here."

I cursed our luck, "No subway exit, no bridge, no shrine. Without a helicopter, we're boxed in. Unless we dwindle down to five and go here, but..." I punched the door as hard as I could, splinters cutting deep, "Why do we have to suffer to leave!? What did we do!? Was ruining someone's life worth this!?"

"Naoya, calm down!"

"Fuck that!" I shouted back at her, "They said someone amongst us is part of this. So why!? What could someone have done to hurt them so bad!? Why do all of us have to pay for it!? Why can't we just be left alone!?"

Tojiko stopped my arm when I went to punch the door again, "Naoya, please... You'll draw the Monokumas again!"

I clenched my teeth and dropped my arm, "Yeah... You're right. I can't get emotional right now, but... I'm sick of feeling helpless!"

"Sit down... I have a first aid kit with me..." I obliged, and she pulled it out from her school bag and started with tweezers, "I'll pull out the splinters first, okay? You hit that door really hard."

"I'm... sorry, Tojiko. I didn't mean to make more work for you..." I felt ashamed, and pain whenever she ripped one of the splinters from my aching flesh.

Tojiko hushed me up, "Just hold still and be calm. I'll fix you up!" A few more pulls, and she placed the tweezers away, "Now for the disinfectant... This is going to burn, okay?"

I nodded, "I understand..." I clenched my teeth again as the peroxide burnt my flesh. I heard it was actually bad to use it; that it might cause infections. I wasn't a doctor, though. And it was all we had. "I feel bad for you, having to put up with me all the time."

"It's not a problem, Naoya..." She assured me, applying gauze to the biggest cuts and wrapping it with some bandages, "This should be fine, but no more hitting stuff like that, okay?"

"Yes, nurse."

Tojiko chuckled, "I'm your nurse now? Should I take your temperature while we're at it?"

I joked, "Can you wear the proper outfit if we get the hospital open?"

"Sure... I-if you want..." Her cheeks tinged red.

I wanted to tell her I was kidding, but thought against it. "What do you think? Do we have a shot in hell of getting out of here?"

Tojiko glanced down at her handbook, recording our findings manually in her paper notebook, in case the map glitched or was somehow destroyed, "I don't know... I want to be positive, but it's not looking good for us right now." She put her notebook away and packed up her medkit, "Still, we have discovered all kinds of information. I'm really grateful, Naoya. No one else wanted to come out here with me. That it was too risky."

"A good detective faces danger at every turn," I reminded her, "You're just proving to me how you've grown since we started. Soon you'll be even more of a help than Kojiro. Hahaha... Just... Just kidding, maybe."

"You believe in me, Naoya-kun!?" She huffed and puffed in excitement again.

I hid my face in my chest, "Y-yeah, so? You're a reliable girl..." I quickly jumped to my feet, "Now, let's... let's go. Tomorrow we need to investigate... the upper district in Towa City, right? That new residential area..."

Tojiko nodded, "Yeah. Let's not waste any time now." I smiled back and we headed to the hotel together, arm in arm.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

The upper district was even worse off; apparently our kidnappers had taken it up as their new base. We felt this was the logical choice once we found the number seven etched into the doors into the area just before Towa Towers. It had a back entrance to the construction area from the earlier parts of town. If we could open that up, we'd have quick routes to any place in town, other than the underground. More importantly, the number seven was also outside of a door leading to the underground shelter nearby. That's right; the same the adults used.

Tojiko and I stopped at a nearby abandoned book store so she could catalogue our notes and make observations without worrying about Monokumas. I guarded the doorway and went in to visit her every so often, a routine we fell into for both of our sakes.

"Naoya... Come sit with me for a little," Tojiko patted a chair next to her at a table on the second floor, a place where the owners likely lived in.

I reluctantly took that seat and asked, "Did something come up?"

Tojiko winced, "Kind of... I guess. I don't know. I just..." She exhaled deeply and asked, "This idea about ruining lives... It's scary, you know? I'd hate to think I caused someone else here such pain..."

"I... Yeah, I do, too. I ruined Kotoko's life..." Tojiko's eyes widened, "I had a dream as her and... And I never warned her, never talked. She was abused by strange men because of her mother's sick, fucked up ideals... Wanting to make her daughter an actress to the extent of selling her..."

"God... That's disgusting... I hope they burn in hell!" She never got too angry, so that was a first from her, "I know who ruined my life, though. Honoka... At least, I suspect."

Honoka-chan? "Really? What did she do?"

Tojiko frowned, "I remember meeting her once, way back in middle school. I didn't know her well, but she was already famous by then. She was depressed. At least, I thought so. I tried to cheer her up, and it must have worked..."

I remembered that occasionally Honoka would start brooding pretty hard, "I'm guessing this backfired somehow?"

"Yeah... She was inspired by me and made a new game, the best she ever made. And the protagonist was based off of me... She even used a computer voice program and sound clips from me talking to match the character's audio to mine... Impressive, right?" Tojiko frowned, clearly not enthused, "It was released, and people in my school got it. Illegally or not, I never knew. And they started... bullying me for it. Calling me a slut, a whore. That I'd voice acted it, that I even had actual sex to make the game more realistic-sounding..."

"That's horrible... And not surprising..." People in public school, no matter where in the world, were always looking for gossip; for a reason to treat others like trash.

Tojiko teared up, "There was one person who'd talk to me... A guy named Ito-san... He tried to take advantage of me by being nice to me... He assaulted me... In the shed, during physical education, he tried to..."

I put my hand on hers, "Tojiko, stop. You don't have to talk about this... It hurts." She met my gaze, "I predicted my mother's death. And my friend's. They didn't believe me, and by the time they did, they blamed me. A fortune teller is only loved if the fortunes are always good." I showed her my hand, the scar that ran deep, "I was attacked for it, kicked, beaten, had water poured on me in the bathroom... I know how evil peers can be. I even know the feeling of powerlessness you felt... My mother and father both died ignoring my pleas and tears..."

"Naoya... We're just two broken losers, huh?" She felt her tears run down her face, unable to stop them, "I... I defended myself from him and... He didn't survive his injuries. His family was taken to task for it... They blamed his younger sister... Eventually, it was so bad she tried to kill herself. Hanging, the news said..." Tojiko sniffed loudly and wiped her face off with her sleeve, "I ruined her life, I guess... She's still in a coma, though. If I ruined anyone's life here, they must be related to her, or that guy... But I don't really know."

I sighed, "If I find out anything, I'll tell you. Okay?"

She thanked me. We sat in silence for a little while longer. Then she spoke, "Who ruined your life, Naoya? You never mentioned that..."

"Myself, maybe..." I felt that way. "I'm unsure what event would count, honestly. My power caused most, if not all of my pain... Unless I'm repressing something."

"Well... If you remember anything, let me know. I want to be there for you, okay?" I nodded, "Good..." She smiled at me, "Thanks for talking with me about this... I feel better to know I'm not alone..."

I did, too. I thanked her again.

Tojiko waved her hand, "Everything is going to be alright, Naoya. We just need to believe... And... I hope you don't abandon me now that you know... That I'm..."

"A murderer?" She nodded, not wanting to say it herself, "Tojiko... I'd be more upset if you hadn't. What he did, that's unacceptable."

And on that note, she finished her observations and we headed back. I noticed though, that she was smiling more than usual, a surprise coming from her.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Tojiko and I had discovered a map to the hotel and were using it to mark places of interest. We found out the doorway, with the number sixteen etched into it, blocked us off not only from the upper floors but from the elevators, too. We had an underground complex that could allow us to investigate more of the underground thankfully.

Tojiko leaned up against the wall while I felt the walls, "Too sturdy to try and break through. And if we drew Monokumas here, we'd never have a safe place to sleep again..." I shook my head, "It's not gonna happen."

"Hey, Naoya?" I faced her, "Why don't you call me by my first name?"

"Well... Uh... I just haven't. Your first name is what comes to mind first, Tojiko," I shrugged, "First names... That's for closer people, right?"

She crossed her arms, "You call everyone else by first name."

I felt under attack, "They asked me, though..."

She walked up to me, "I want you to call me Shiori, Naoya-kun..."

"O-okay, Shiori..." I felt weird saying it. Like I'd crossed a line I could never retreat over.

"Naoya... I... I..."

She was nervous, stuttering in her words, "Shiori... It's okay, whatever it is. You can tell me." She looked up into my eyes, somewhat fearful, "Anything you want. Even if you want to join Kojiro as his student, instead. It's all fine by me."

She finally spoke up, "I want to stay as your partner, Naoya... I like Kojiro-Sensei, but I want to hang out with you, too!"

"Shiori... That's..."

"He's my mentor, my teacher. He cares about me and instructs me... But Naoya... You do more... You make my heart feel tight. You put me at ease with your presence. I enjoy the feeling of your hand patting me, or your arm holding me close whenever we run from Monokuma." Shiori excitedly announced, puffing up her chest, "I love you, Naoya!"

My eyes shot open, "What!? Shiori, that's... Please, don't joke about this..."

She grabbed my hand and pressed it against her chest, "Then feel! My heart is beating fast, right? We're not in danger... So it has to be you! I know it!" I tried to pull my hand away, but she remained steadfast, "Naoya... Please, answer me seriously... Don't disregard my feelings as a joke..."

"Shiori, I...I-"

"You're the first person to like me for who I am! Who encouraged me, who stood by my side, who wants to be friends with a spastic loser like me...! I'm lonely and sad and cry in my room and get over emotional all the time, but you make me feel like I can overcome all of that! I've never felt so strongly about something, but I do now... for you, so please... Don't patronize or run..." She was crying now, sniffling once, then twice, "I want an honest answer."

My heart pulsated as I considered my own feelings. Waking up early to join Tojiko on a morning walk, talking with her late into the evenings about our findings and what we did any particular day... I enjoyed it so much that time just flew by... I felt legitimate feelings for this girl, but i couldn't just accept. I'd be putting us both at risk to be used by others. And if I turned her down... I couldn't break her heart.

I mentally rehearsed what I'd say and then immediately ruined it by speaking my mind, "I think... I love you, Shiori. But... But I'm too afraid to do anything about it here, in our situation. I'd rather wait until the game is over to make a decision like that. If that's... acceptable to you."

She thought on it before slowly nodding, "I... I understand, yeah. Not rushing into things is good, that's... Good. I understand... What you mean... We'll wait. But when we do escape... You'll answer, r-right?"

I patted her on the head ever so gently, "Of course I will. I promise you that much."

 **You have unlocked the skill, "QuickTime". Tojiko has revealed her affection for you, prompting a choice in the near future. This skill grants you the ability to shoot more quickly in Panic Talk Action.**

 **You have been awarded Shiori's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu. Congratulations!**


	17. Kojiro Keigo's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist (Complete)**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist (Complete)**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Kojiro Keigo, the disgruntled Ultimate Policeman. He was renowned for taking down high-tier criminals, practically begging for their lives when going through his brutal interrogation and investigation tactics. Some played Good Cop, Bad Cop; he played Talk or Die Cop, or so the rumours go.

The rumours surrounding the man were numerous; thus, I decided to try and understand him on a personal level.

Kojiro immediately refused, "No, I don't want to spend time. I an in the middle of an investigation into the city, as you already know. That is preoccupying much of my time."

"You have time for Tojiko, though, don't you?"

He dropped his papers, glaring up at me, "Did you just accuse me of favoring her?"

I shrugged, "Look, I'm just saying. You should know profiling is important for an officer. It's easier for you to predict murders and motives if you get to understand us first, right?"

Tapping his pen against his chin, he acknowledged that, "I suppose that's true, but it's also time-consuming. I'd rather Shiori spend time with the others and feed me her findings."

"So one source is good enough?"

"Then what do you want?" Kojiro folded his arms and sat back in his chair, "You must want something for your efforts."

I laughed, "I already said. Your time; just some of it."

Kojiro grumbled again, "Fine, if you must. But only during your reports, and nothing more. Understand?"

"Yes, sir..." I saluted him and walked to the door leading out of his makeshift office, "Talk to you later, Kojiro-san."

"Yeah, yeah..." He shooed me away and went back to detailing his findings, writing down everything from his handbook onto physical form. I saw Shiori do that, too. He taught her that much, huh?

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Student Report 1. Time of discussion: 10 AM, April XXth, 20XX. Subject: Ultimate Dreamer.

That was what was written atop the notes Kojiro was taking for our first meeting. He was treating our arrangement so seriously that he even had prepared notes to jot down every bit of info I gave him that was useful.

After discussing everything that came to mind, he thanked me and rose to leave.

"Wait, what about our time?"

Kojiro shook his head, "Nonsense. I gathered a bounty of data from you just listening to your descriptions, what you thought about and learned about the others. That's more than enough for today."

I sighed. Was he dense? "I meant time to talk. If I don't understand you at all, how can I prevent your murders?"

Kojiro's face contorted into a deep frown for just a moment; then his blank expression returned, "I wouldn't commit murder. That's only something the weak do to claim they're strong."

"And to escape a killing game..." I rebuked him, "You honestly believe you wouldn't kill? You're more practical then that."

He clenched his hand into a fist, gripping his pencil so tightly it nearly snapped under the pressure, "That is not..."

I got to him that time, "Not true? Unlikely. Murders mostly occur between family and associates. The people you think you least likely might kill at first glance. But put some thought into it, and the whole idea falls away to reality..."

"Okay, you have a point. I'm not an interesting person to talk to, however. I lack hobbies outside of work. My investigations are full time, and I have been falsely discharged seven times. I have had thirteen attempts on my life, this being number fourteen," he thought, "And I like strawberry ice cream the most. That's all I can recall."

That's oddly specific, "Attempts on your life?"

Kojiro nodded, "Every time I take down a Yakuza, a big boss, a corrupt executive, others want me gone before I expose them. What makes me the best is that I survive their efforts. And attempted murder of an officer is usually enough to nab the conviction."

"Falsely discharged?" I knew it meant he'd been forced off of the force over false allegations, but why?

"My officers have sometimes been too close to the criminal underground. When I start to snoop in their realm, they let me go. And then I destroy them anyways." Kojiro said it with pride, "I've been trying to clean this country since Despair hit, since I was eleven. Everyone underestimated the new kid, but now here I am... I won't let just anyone take my life from me."

I nodded, "I understand. I think that's enough for today, Keigo-san. I understand you more deeply, now. You're gruff, but you care. You're dedicated, and have really earned your status. I can respect your drive."

Kojiro sneered at me, "I don't need your approval. Or anyone's."

"I know..." I walked out, leaving him to his paperwork.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Student Report 2. Time of Discussion: 9 PM. Date is April XXth, 20XX. Subject: Naoya Himura.

"Do you have to report like that?" I asked, somewhat uncomfortable. It was like I was in a documentary or a biographical film.

He glared at me, "It's standard procedure. I log everything I do, to an extent. I need detailed records left behind in case I am incapacitated. I don't even carry my room keys on my person so as to avoid troublemakers doctoring my evidence."

I scratched my chin, "They'd be more than just troublemakers if they took you of all people down."

"Perhaps. My room is also trapped. I have taken every precaution."

"You've been through so much even though you're young, Keigo-san... I'm sorry that the world is a place where your particular abilities are even needed," I meant that, too.

He marked something on his list, "Any officer's dream is being let go due to a lack of crime. Everyone else wants power, wants a gun, wants to break rules and hide from scrutiny."

I thought on that, "You've seen this firsthand with those corrupt officers, yes?"

"More than that. Some fought me on prosecution. No politicians from their party, no scandals. Keep my head down and only snatch the violent ones... Despicable," Kojiro spat in disgust, "To call yourself an arbiter of justice and then not arrest, not convict people that we have extensive proof on... That infuriates me more than the criminals themselves. A society than benefits from any injustice is a society worth tearing down."

"So are you going full anarchist on us?" I joked.

Kojiro shook his head, "Society is law. It is order. So why then, must some benefit from chaos? Why are we in this game, except to the sick selfish wants of the masterminds, whoever they are? When I find them, I will dispense justice."

I didn't know how serious he was outside of work, but it seemed this was just his way, "Kojiro... Whatever happens, I'll try to help you. I promise you that much."

"What you do is not my concern unless it's a murder," Kojiro shot back, not giving any ground, "Now, your report. We've wasted enough time discussing trivialities... What have you discovered?"

And like that, the moment was killed, and we finished our session. Before he left, I asked, "Kojiro? I want to know something." he stopped in the doorway, "Why did you want to become a police officer of all things? With your talents, you could help the world in many ways. Prosecutor, judge, defense lawyer... So why put your life on the line at so young an age?"

Kojiro gripped down on his clipboard he carried, but he tried to hide it so I didn't notice, "When I was young, my parents were involved in an arson. My mother was killed. I was forced to move in with my aunt while my father was prosecuted. They gave him a guilty verdict despite evidence linking him to an alibi at his office. The officer that tried to call this out was fired from the force..." He sighed, "I desired justice for his false conviction. I became an officer to gather a reputation, to become a lawyer, to one day free him. But instead, it became my safe place. I can do more good now than getting my dad out, and for less selfish reasons."

"...You're a hero, you know that? I'm sure your dad is quite proud of your efforts," I assured him.

Kojiro denied such claims, "My father has nothing but shame for me. Because he knows the truth. That I lit that fire."

And like that, Kojiro walked away in the silence of the hallway, leaving me to my thoughts.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

Student Report 3. Time of Discussion: 4 PM. Date is April XXth, 20XX. Subject: Naoya Himura.

Again we sat in his office, the clock slowly ticking away as I explained what I'd learned about the others. I honestly felt guilt over reporting on them like a tabloid newspaper, but I knew he needed this for our future, for our lives were at risk. Still, it left a poor taste in my mouth.

"And that concludes this meeting," Kojiro announced, setting his notes aside, "Do you have another inane question to ask me before I go?"

Inane? That's a bit much. "Why'd you do it?"

He knew what I meant, "Why I set my home ablaze and killed my mother indirectly?"

I nodded, "It's not pleasant to ask, but... It feels so out of character for you. You're not that kind of person..."

"Am I? Are your profiling skills aware of something I'm not?" I lowered my head. He was right; how would I know? I trusted him, something even he didn't seem wont to do. "It was an accident. A friend of mine had received an illegal firework to play with. I suggested my yard; it was the biggest. That was my downfall. It caught the trees and spread too quickly..."

Damn. "I... I'm sorry. But then why did they convict your father? Shouldn't they have known better?"

Kojiro grimaced, "The captain was a corrupt, evil man. He hated my father; he was jealous of his commendations. My father was a respected man, an officer to aspire to. I never enjoyed his work when I was young; it kept him away most nights. My mother cared for me almost exclusively, and she died in that fire because of her love for her son."

Now I was lost, but I kept quiet as he spoke.

"I tried to put out the fire and trapped myself in the upstairs bathroom. My mother saved me but got stuck in the process. I was took weak to pull her out... By the time father arrived to help, she had died from her wounds," Kojiro clenched his teeth for a moment and shed a single tear, the only time I'd ever seen him so openly show emotion, "My first target was that officer. I made my debut to fame with that case, but it wasn't enough to free my father. I took on more and more work as a freelance operative, a specialist they called in for especially tough cases to crack."

I felt my heartbeat quicken, "Keigo-san... That's..."

He ignored me and spoke more, "That's why I dislike Tojiko butting in. My work is dangerous; my life is always at risk. And when I think about her, dying because of me... I see my mother's smiling face, the last words she said to me... 'It's not your fault', she said. But she didn't know it was. Everything was..." Kojiro finally relaxed himself, letting the table go. He had actually marked it with how strong his grip was, "My job is to take down criminals. Mafia, politicians, children... It doesn't matter. Justice has to come for everyone in my path... or I will never atone for what I did."

"Kojiro... The point of atoning is knowing you fucked up and trying to fix it," I spoke up, "If you want to do that, being an officer was never the way."

His eyes widened and he glared at me, "Excuse you?"

I stood by my statement, "Get your father out of jail. That's how you atone. Leaving him in there and pursuing your own justice is just selfish bullshit! How do you think he feels about your so-called justice, huh!?"

"What do you know!?" Kojiro yelled back at me, arising from his seat in a fury, "What do you know about me!?"

"I know you ran from your mistakes!" I shot back, angered at how he had lived, "You left your father to rot to play hero! Isn't that the truth!?" He dropped his hands, not willing to attack me, "I'm glad you found your passion in life. That's great; but abandoning your family is wrong. Especially the one that inspired you to do this."

Kojiro sat back down in his chair, "You... Damn it! I can't say you're wrong... I've not thought about my father in a long time."

I sighed in relief, "I... I'm sorry, too. I... My dad died in the line of duty, doing what he loved. I tried to talk him out of it, but... He did what he wanted before me. He left me alone in this world." I felt horrible thinking this sometimes, but it was true, "I bet your dad misses you terribly. That he's impressed by your work, but conflicted. What did he do to be abandoned by you? Why wasn't he good enough to stay for?" That was how I felt, even when I knew better, "Following your dreams is admirable, Keigo-san. But don't abandon people when you're out to save them in the first place." And with that sentiment, I left.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Naoya's Final Report. Time of Discussion: 5 PM. Date is April? XXth, 20XX.

"Naoya. Today, no reports on the others." Kojiro surprised me when I walked in, "I want to keep this short and simple. Who ruined your life and how did you ruin someone else's? I'm compiling our data to make a list. Some of the others have already cracked."

That was to the point, "Uh... Kotoko Utsugi. I ruined her life. I knew she was going to suffer through abuse and never told her. I dreamed it and hid it because of the bullying I suffered for my premonitions."

He marked that down, "And your life?"

"Possibly myself for letting Kotoko do that..." I thought it might be that at least, "Other than that, I can't really know. I'm sorry."

"That's a decent amount of information to be sure," he muttered, "It narrows down the list at least. I can use deductive reasoning for the others." He marked all of what I said down quite quickly.

I thought for a moment before asking, "And you?"

Kojiro laughed, "And why would I divulge my crimes to you?"

"Fair's fair." I simply said.

"Hmph. A fitting answer," He sighed, "I told you I take down criminals, but people get in the way. They obstruct my path all the time and I can't convict those that control the justice system. That is problematic for me to arrest, but get no conviction, yes?"

I nodded, "That's infuriating, actually..."

He tapped his pen against the desk rapidly, something he did whenever he felt nervous, "I took to executing them myself. I donned the mask of a seeker of truth and knowledge from Dread Souls 2... I became Lorraine of Myra... And with that mask and outfit, I sought my own justice. A politician controlled the judges to get no conviction? Throat slit," Kojiro didn't seem proud anymore, "A man who murdered every witness? Disemboweled. And all left a signature calling card. A forewarning, or a promise."

"Michi... You ruined her life. You're the one guy she never caught," I remembered her mentioning this 'blight' on her perfect record.

Kojiro nodded, "The girl is quite childish to desire a perfect record. What I do is for my hopes of attaining a safer, just world. To think she would pursue accomplishments over methods, over ideals... It saddens me. I am quick to ensure that any evidence traceable to me never makes it into her hands... I suppose I must disclose it to her soon, but..." He chuckled, "I would applaud if she was actually able to determine my identity without my help. So I might abstain, for now at least..."

So he considered their rivalry a game, huh? Interesting to say the least, "As for my life, the person who set me on the path to slaying the evil was Akira. She killed a target of mine once, a man named Genji. And she mocked me; told me that without getting my hands dirty, I'd never make change. I wanted to deny what she said, but... Well, it's not incorrect to think that way. I'd already done it before then; even fought Genocide Jack herself. But to don a guise like I did was due to her grim reminder."

"I see... Well, Kojiro. You may be a serial killer ala Dexter, but I won't lose faith in you. You've realized your weaknesses. You can overcome them. I know you will." I gave his extended hand a good shake before we headed to the door together.

"Actually, I meant to tell you... This is our last meeting. From now on... I wish to understand them myself. If I intend to be a real, genuine beacon to those in trouble... I must become a people person. As an officer, it's easy to detach, almost necessary... But if I do that, I'm no better than the lot. So I have to change... Thank you for showing me that, Naoya..."

I nodded, "No problem. Let's hang out some more again later..." And we left his office, not as officer and student, but as friends.

 **Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill, "Trigger Finger". Kojiro is now seeking a new kind of justice alongside the others. This skill grants you the ability to shoot two statements at once in Panic Talk Action without using two ammunition.**

 **You have been awarded Kojiro's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu.**


	18. Akira Sanada's Free Time Events

**Free Time Events with Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist (Complete)**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist (Complete)**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman (Complete)**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Akira Sanada, the oldest member of our group at a proud twenty? Maria was seventeen, I think... I didn't really know. Asking girls their age usually isn't that kind; as Ryoji found out when he asked Akira and was coldly stared down like a dog.

She was a charmer, a smart mouthed professional who took little shit and tolerated even less. She kept her past mysterious and unknown. Everything about her was intriguing and scary to think about... Could she really be a mere dancer? I wanted to know more, so I approached her one morning in the lounge upstairs.

Akira smirked, a cigarette in her right hand, her other on her knee as she folded her right leg over her left, a dignified pose for a Yakuza, maybe, "Oh, the little lost lamb comes to talk to the big bad wolf Akira?"

"I'm not a lamb... I think..." I didn't understand what fable or legend she was comparing us to. Or was she just talking about farming in general? "Also, we killed all of the Japanese wolves, didn't we?"

Akira sighed, dabbing her cigarette into her ashtray, "You know that, huh? Fine... Little Red Riding Naoya... I'll nickname you that, since you have a penchant for going to places you shouldn't."

I gulped, "You intend to prey on me, then?"

"Hehehe... You never know what I'm capable of, kid. I don't leave witnesses..." She chuckled as my expression turned to horror, "If you're curious, I fucked over Kojiro. Mocked him in his line of duty. He told me it was the worst thing someone other than himself had done to him."

"I didn't mean to-"

Akira eyed me suspiciously, "Really? You expect me to believe you came here with altruistic motive? No, you want to know who ruined my life, whose I ruined. You want information to play the game correctly."

I shook my head, "I'd rather we be friends." I meant that, "I don't want to use people... That's wrong."

"Kid, you're either painfully naive or a great actor, and I'm inclined to doubt your innocence," Akira put her cigarette butt into the tray and folded her arms, "Maria ruined my life by setting me up with a man named Genji. Bastard tried to kill my last family, Yusuke. I ended his life. The end. You have your info. Now go, go do whatever Dreamers do."

"Akira... Well... I don't know who ruined my life, but I ruined Kotoko's. I knew bad things were going to happen to her, but I kept my mouth shut. And she got hurt because of that in ways I can't imagine..." I hated myself for being afraid, "But I'm serious. About being friends with everyone. I don't care if you trust me. I don't care if you hate me, or tell me to go away. It's what I've decided to do."

"Hmph... Got a backbone, then? Bring it on then, Dreamer boy. Let's test that resolve of yours," Akira's malicious grin gave me chills down my spine.

 **Free Time Event 2#**

Akira liked something terrifying. She liked boxing. The two of us were in an arena she had made out of a former computer shop. We didn't have an official ring but that's the cost of city life in the apocalypse.

Akira wore purple gloves and her red headgear that she swore used to match. I had light blue gloves and khaki green headgear. We couldn't even find a matching pair at the sports store.

We had established rules. I'd go until I was bleeding more than I was crying, or she got bored. Says more about my chances than words could.

I never felt more pain when she unleashed a barrage of attacks on me. I won't even sugarcoat it like I had a chance. She knocked me the fuck out, mate.

When she was finally done messing my face and chest up, she threw me a towel, a water bottle, and told me to hit the showers. Obviously, we weren't doing that here. The nearby gym that we ransacked still had working showers, thank God. Ryuu and Ryoji spent an entire week getting the electricity back on. It hurt them a lot, I heard. We headed over there, and I told Akira I'd go in first since blood would stain.

While I was washing off my face and the blood, I noticed Akira walk into the shower fully undressed and drop her towel as she grabbed shampoo from a nearby container and started rubbing through her hair.

"Akira, what are you doing in here!?" What was she thinking?"

Akira shrugged and turned back to me. I tried not to stare, "What? We don't have much daylight left... And what are you going to do, huh? We both know I'd kick your ass."

I averted my eyes, hiding her from view with my hand, "Wh-what I meant... is... that it's sort of indecent, don't you think?"

"I went to mixed baths across the world. Nude beaches in Spain... What am I supposed to be ashamed of?" Akira chuckled, "It's my body."

Is this what they call culture shock? "O-okay... I'll just... hurry up then..."

And I did, sneaking out as fast as I could to the waiting room. The ring area was in ruins, dead bodies and broken Monokuma parts everywhere. Akira cleared it out for us with her bare fists. Cool, right?

Akira finally stepped out, steam flowing before her, "Let's go, Dreamer chump."

"I'm a chump now?"

"I could call you a prude instead." Akira laughed at me, "What, never seen a beautiful woman in the flesh before? What am I asking you... Of course you haven't." She walked out, and I followed, unable to tell her off.

I sighed, "Well... I tried, at least."

Akira gave me a confused look, "Oh, right, right. You pass. You're not dead, and you can learn. It'll be fun."

"If you think so..."

She stopped in the street and faced me, "What did I say before? Backbone..." She slapped me on the back so hard I nearly fell over, "You hear me?"

I winced, "Okay, okay! Please... Don't hit me so hard."

She got right up in my face, "Are you that scared of me? I'm the adult here. If I wanted ya dead, I'd do ya in already."

"I don't suspect you, Akira..." I responded quietly.

"Then why are ya so tense around me right now?" Akira put her finger on my nose, "What secrets you hidin'?"

I shook my head, "Does it matter? Let's just go back!" I walked past her.

Akira chuckled, "There's that thunder... Keep that up."

We remained silent for the rest of our return, until just before we reached the door.

"Also... I'm sorry. That I hurt you," Akira apologized, causing me to turn to her, "I... I wanted a training partner, but I was too rough on ya. It's not fair of me to do that when you accepted."

"I'm not mad at you, Akira. Just play a little nicer next time?"

Akira grinned, "You want to go again?"

I shrugged, "If you want me to, yes. I was serious. I want to be friends with you."

"Heh. You keep on saying that..." She reached for a flask and drank from it, "We'll give you another test, then."

"Whatever you want..." I said reluctantly, fearing her plot.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Akira and Maria greeted me at a small bar they had found. Drinks lined the walls, along with a dart board and a billiard table. Maria was excited to try alcohol since they'd been on the road, and Akira decided to see if I could hold it down.

"But I'm underage..." I responded, knowing how little she cared.

Akira laughed, "Stop being such a whiny cunt and take the glass..." She handed me a shot glass, filled with vodka. She wasn't even being kind about trying to get me thoroughly smashed, "Go on."

I took it and set it down on the table in between us. Maria swallowed hers whole and set the glass down, "Well, Naoya? Get on with it..."

Was this was they meant by peer pressure? I lifted the glass to my lips and opened my mouth. It was the worst thing I've ever tasted. I had medicine that tasted less disgusting to me. It burned my mouth, my throat, and made me feel ill the second it reached my stomach. I lurched and covered my mouth with my sleeve, afraid I'd vomit within seconds of downing the damn stuff. And the aftertaste... Dear me...

Akira and Maria both laughed at my misery, "Hahah! Dreamer boy wasn't kidding! He's never done this before!"

"Why... would I lie...?" I said between drinks from my glass of cold water.

"Who knows?" Akira pulled out another bottle and poured into Maria's glass, then mine, then her own cup. That's right, a whole cup, "We're in a game of life and death. We all have skeletons in our closets. Why not hide them well?"

That was true, sadly...

Maria agreed, "Yeah... We all do. Like how I accidentally broke Ryoji's favorite mechanical pencil... Or when I broke Ryuu's fancy keyboard and blamed Ryoji... And then there was Ryoji's hat in the toilet... Damn, I'm a monster to him... Hahaha!"

Akira sighed, "Sorry... She gets wordy when she gets drunk. I tell her to keep her damn mouth shut but it never works..."

"Then why did you invite... me?" I nearly said it aloud, instead whispering.

"Because we like you around, dumbass," Akira scolded me and handed me my drink. I took it, and as it nearly killed me (again), she added, "I know, I know. I pull ya around by the collar all the time. I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "Don't be... I enjoy this time with you. I've never done anything like this... You're always teaching me new things, about the world, boxing, drinks... You're a loving person, huh?"

Maria laughed, "Yeah, she is... Maybe she gets that from Yusuke... Haha!"

I remembered that name, "Your family, right? Is he alright?"

"Yes... He's staying with a dear friend of ours while we attend school," Akira answered confidently, "I have to survive. Without me, he's... Well, it's a lonely enough world out there..."

"Then I pledge to get you back at any cost..." I drank the third shot and slammed the glass onto the table, "That's my promise to you, Akira... I know how it feels for family to leave and not return... I'll do whatever I can."

Maria tilted her head, "Aww... Thash cute..." She fell back out of her seat and crashed to the floor, saying random, indecipherable things with curses intermixed until it made no sense at all.

Akira raised her cup and downed her third one, "Holdin' you to it would be a bit cold of me... But it's a deal." She extended her hand, "Well, shake on it, Dreamer!"

I grabbed her hand and she gripped mine with intensity, "O-ow... I promise."

She let go of my hand and settled back in her chair, "Now, let's get the party started. Do you want to hold Maria's hair or should I?" As she said this, Maria started coughing pretty badly, "We've got about five seconds..." Oh, boy...

 **Free Time Event 4#**

Round Twelve of Boxing. We had come here every other day, enough to progress but infrequent enough for me to rest and regain blood count. I said this jokingly, mostly.

"I'm impressed, Naoya. You managed to hit me once... And good, too..." Akira was sporting a small bruise under her lip, "That was some swift footwork."

I denied her claims, "I sort of just stumbled into it. You're way better at me, still. I'm starting to enjoy it, though." That was true. I no longer dreaded coming here. That was because I'd grown to enjoy boxing, right? Then again, seeing Akira smile when I dodged an attack brightened up my day, too, but I'd never say that to her. She already teased me enough.

Akira rolled her eyes, "Hit the showers. I'll see you on the other side."

And we fell into our routine. I asked her to wait until I was done, so she'd periodically call in after me with increasingly brutal remarks before I finally got my 'scrawny pale ass' out of there.

This time, I heard the door open briefly, but I thought little of it until I felt something behind me. And then... I felt something pressed up against me. What the fuck?

Akira whispered into my ear, "Naoya... Do you think we could... wash each other's backs? I can't reach..."

I nearly screamed when I replied, "If you don't press up on me!"

"Awe... I don't have a brush with me... I figured I could use... these..." The way she pressed against me in that moment never made me feel more like a man, nor a man who had broken a silent vow he made, a vow of purity, "No good?"

I jumped away from her and nearly hit myself against the wall, "Akira... What... Why are you..."

Akira laughed at my confused reaction, "This is who I am, Naoya... I don't sit around and hope for things to come to me. I reach out..." She moved a hand towards my barely covered body, "And I grab what I want..."

I felt my entire body heating up. I wondered if my entire body was red like a ripe tomato. I took a step back and felt the floor slip. No, it was soap!? I must have dropped it when she-!

The floor of the shower was very painful. I felt blood rush down the side of my face, and the last thing I saw before my consciousness faded was Akira, leaning over me, a look of disappointment and concern on her face.

I awoke fully dressed in the lounge. Akira was sitting across from me, smoking a cigarette, "About time you woke up... You started to worry me."

I felt my head. It was cleaner, and when I moved it, blood didn't come off, "You cleaned me off... Haha..."

Akira dropped her cigarette and jumped onto me, "Naoya...! I'm sorry!" Was she... crying? "I just... I thought I'd surprise you, but I... I messed up... I knew you'd run but I didn't think I'd hurt you!"  
I looked her in her eyes, noticing how beautiful she was, even when she was crying, "Why did you do all this...?"

"I..." Akira nuzzled her face in my chest, an odd thing considering she was on her knees and still had to lean down, "I like you, Naoya..." She was blushing too. Damn, she could act this girlish still? I always imagined her to be this steel machine, "... You remind me of Genji, how he was... I was hoping... That you'd be with me, even if it was just here, in this city..."

"Akira..." I was in awe. Her crimson eyes shined in the light, "I never... You started using my name today, huh... I noticed that was weird... Normally you call me Dreamer Kid or Boy or Chump..."

Akira interjected, "That's not... I'm sorry, okay!? When you didn't wake up... I thought I killed you, that I... That I..."

I asked, "That you'd be a killer? That you'd be executed?"

"Who cares about that stupid killing game!? You mean more to me than that!" She clutched my arm hard, "I know we could never work, but I can't control my fucking heart! I've tried! I always fall for people I should know better than to..."

I took mild offense to that, "If I'm that bad... Then why bother?" I stood up and lightly moved her out of my way, "I'm fine. You're fine. Let's go back. No need to be dramatic."

Akira moved in front of me, looking down on me, "Dramatic...? I thought you died, dumbass!" She grabbed me and started giving me a painful noogie, rubbing her fist roughly across my hair back and forth, "The nerve you have... You bastard!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!" I cried and pleaded, but she continued for another few moments before dropping me to the ground and walking off in a huff.

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Maria dragged me out of my room the next day and demanded to know what I had done. And when I explained, she gave me a rant about how stupid I was being and why I had to fix this.

Long story short, she put me outside her door and demanded I apologize.

Knock knock... The door slowly opened, "Come in, dumbass."

I walked into her room which was darker than I expected, "How'd you know it was me?"

She clapped and the lights came on. That's cool, I thought as the room was dimly lit. She had one of those clap lights behind her on the night stand, "It was you or Maria and you both know what you are."

She was wearing more casual clothes; a red shirt too large for her with long sleeves and blue jeans. I thought it matched her personality more than business attire, honestly, "I guess... I um... Well, Maria told me to come, but... I was worried, too... You never said anything to me the rest of yesterday... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Akira."

Akira rolled her eyes, "You think you could hurt me that easily? I'm not some high school girl."

"You are though..." I squeaked in fear when she glared at me, "That's... Akira, I'm sorry. Whether I did something wrong or not, I apologize. I just... I thought you were teasing me, and then... You started crying, and I panicked... It's no way for me to treat you."

Akira finally gave me a little grin, "I'm a princess, a queen. A servant should know their place."

I walked up to her and knelt in front of her, "Consider this my formal apology, Queen Akira... I will not shame you in such a way for the rest of our lives, so shall I promise." I added, "Yusuke needs you, right?"

"Yeah... That he does." Akira gave me her hand and pulled me up, "You remembered."

"And my promise, too. To get you back... I just have to ask..." It was something that ate away at me, "You said I was a bad choice, that... That we could only be together here... Why wouldn't you want us to remain a couple?"

Akira clenched her teeth for half a second, shrugging, "No idea what you mean. I never said anything like that."

"Akira," I spoke up, "What did you mean? If there's something bothering you, I want to help."

"Yusuke... He's my son," I held my breath. I had honestly expected that she might have adopted a child or something, but she actually had a kid? "Genji and I... He wanted me to... Well, I refused. Yusuke's my child, and he's all that's left from my first love."

I asked, realizing the implications, "Why would that mean you couldn't be with me?"

Akira shook her head, "Don't toy with my heart, Naoya. No teenager like yourself would want to weigh yourself down with a child in high school... Without a career, a plan for the future... What could you possibly see in a drinking, smoking, angry woman who could legally adopt you?"

"Because..." I grabbed her hands and held them in mine, "I suspected Yusuke was a child, perhaps one you adopted. But if it's yours or not, you always light up when you mention him. You deeply care for him, and that kindness shows," I looked her in the eyes and tried to give her my best confident smirk, "You're a fierce woman, one who knows what she wants. And maybe I learned something from you..."

"And what's... that?" She asked tentatively.

I whispered in her ear with as much confidence I could muster, "To reach out for what I want..." I tilted my head and brought my head in for a kiss with her. Instead of moving, or pushing me, she grabbed me by the collar and roughly pulled me to her. I couldn't even shout as she pressed her lips against mine, her hot breath exciting me as she lifted me up off of my feet to reach. When she was satisfied she dropped me, "There's that backbone I wanted to see. Now show me the rest of you..." Akira bit her bottom lip and pushed me against the wall, unafraid of any consequences.

"Akira... This is... I mean..." I fell for her, yeah, but this was a little fast, right?

"We're young, we've got limited time... I say we make the most of things..." She put her face just by my ear, "The big bad wolf's hungry for the little red rider..." She cooed.

 **Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill, "Yes, Ma'am". You now understand Akira on a much deeper level. This skill grants you double the monocoins whenever you engage in trials or exploration.**

 **You have been awarded Akira's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu.**


	19. Sho Takeda's Stoner Tales

**Free Time Events with Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist (Complete)**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer (Complete)**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist (Complete)**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman (Complete)**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer. The slow-talking guy who liked to hang out with Michi, Kicho, and eat food all the time. Could I spend much time with him? Time to find out...

I approached Sho when he was in the kitchen, eating raw cookie dough from the container, spoon in hand, "Man... You want some? This is good... Haha!"

His hands were covered in sugar and dough, and his shirt was dirty, too. His orange hair was wild, and his grin matched his excitement as he continued biting into spoonful after spoonful, "No thanks... I just wanted to hang out with you. You must have some pretty interesting stories, as a volunteer."

"Hahaha... I do! Working with the animals at rescue is crazy..." He dropped the bowl by accident, "Man... Bending over is for porn stars..." He knelt down and grabbed the bowl, putting it back on the counter.

I already had a headache. New record, nice... "Sho... Can you take this a little more seriously? I'm trying to get to know you, and all I've learned is you like cookie dough and pornography..."

Sho added, "And dogs... I swear, it's not related... Haha!"

God damn it, Sho, "What do you do other than volunteering then?"

"My hand?"

"I didn't mean that!" Son of a bitch, he was difficult to work with, "Ugh, forget. Talk to me when you're in your right mind."

Sho shrugged, "Alright... By the way, want some pizza? I made it myself..." He lifted the pizza out of the box next to the fridge with his bare, unwashed hands, "It's extra cheesy... Like my jokes."

I growled, "No, Sho. I don't want your pizza."

"See you, then. Don't dream away our future, now... Haha!" Sho waved me off, much to my chagrin.

Why did he do these things?

 **Free Time Event 2#**

"Naoya? I wanted to talk." Sho announced to me suddenly one morning as I seated myself in our makeshift dining room, "It's not that important, but..."

I sighed, "Take a seat."

Sho grabbed a seat and put it behind him, "Okay, but... Can I bring it back?"

"I didn't mean literally. Sit down in it and just talk to me..." I already had a headache again. Sho was amazing at annoying me unintentionally.

Sho did as I suggested, "Well... It's been bugging me. You wanted to be friends with me, and all I did was... Oh, that cookie dough was soooo good though!"

He was already off-track again, "You don't have to force yourself to spend time with me, Sho. I get it. I'm not an interesting person to be around."

"Nah, it's fine. Everyone deserves some Sho time," I cringed at his awful joke, "I never get Hahas on SpaceBook." He sighed, "Eh, whatever. If everyone approved of puns, they wouldn't be special."

Gee, I wonder why. "Alright, Sho. What can I do for you? If anything, I can listen."

Sho smiled, "Thanks, dude. You can be, like... My counselor. My psychotherapist... Hey, did you ever notice... You can make that word into three? Psycho the rapist... Cool, right?"

"That's disturbing, actually," Not a pleasant thought to have towards sit down psychologists, especially ones that prescribe you medications, "What would you need advice for?"

Sho leaned back in his chair until it fell over and hit the wall. He seemed unperturbed, folding his arms behind his head as he started chewing on a toothpick from his pocket, "Not sure yet. Just thought it might be good for me to free think. I did that all the time as a volunteer. My brother taught me... Takaya Takeda... He was a proud man, before... Before the depression." Sho sighed, "Both Japan's and his own. He ended up homeless, you know? He'd get drunk and angry and shout at passersby... Until the day he was killed."

I gulped, "Sho... Killed?"

Sho nodded, "Yeah, but that's old news. It's why I volunteer. I started working at the homeless shelter he lived in. next thing you know, people relied on me... It's nice to feel wanted. I don't get paid, but that's okay. I could live off of the kindness I bring others."

I sat up, "Sho... You make a lot more sense than I thought you would."

"Nah, man... I'm just who I am..." Sho grinned, "So want me to make pizza now?"

I took a pass, "Not now... We just ate. Maybe later."

Sho sighed, "Fine... Guess I'll go ask Honoka for a game... I need to release some tension, haha!"

Why did he say it like that? I groaned in annoyance.

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Sho invited me to hang out with him, and reluctantly, I agreed. Little did I know...

When I knocked on his door, the door opened just a crack. I pushed it open and stepped inside. Behind me, I felt someone grab me, and I blacked out after they put force on my neck.

I awoke in a chair, rope tightly binding me to the seat. I was in a different room a basement of sorts, and Sho was standing near some monitors. This was a security room for the hotel maybe?

"You're awake..." Sho walked up to me, professionally dressed as a member of Future Foundation no less, "Here we can talk freely, away from the others."

I wanted to cry, honestly, "Sho, man... I don't know what you think I did, but please..." I started tearing up already, "I didn't do it! She said she was eighteen!"

Sho gave me a confused look, "Do I look like Chris Hansen? Do what you want to that Hope Warrior... I don't care," He sighed, "I'm investigating you for Michi's sake. I need to understand your character; why you want to know about me."

"I wanted to be friends, Sho. That's literally all..." I must have looked pathetic, since he shook his head and gave me a look that said something like 'what am I doing right now'. "What do you want to know!? I ruined Kotoko's life, okay!? I let horrible things happen to her and never intervened... I don't know who ruined my life... It could have been her attacks on Towa killing my dad... Me, leading her to that end... But I'm not sure..."

Sho sighed, "Damn it... I didn't know you were a crier. Kotoko just laughed and asked me to bind her harder like the guys in those manga she reads... And Honoka just asked if I'd take photos of her like that... For an art project, she says."

I was still confused, "What...?"

"I did this to everyone," Sho laughed, "See how they'd react. I'm not a fucking dumbass, Naoya. I know what a killing game means." He cursed under his breath, "We're going to be used and toyed with for some sick fuck's games. And I needed to know who was calm, who was calculating. I've been writing up evaluations on everyone here. So stop your damn crying already, it's pathetic... None of the girls even did that."

"What about the guys?" I was curious, now.

Sho shook his head, "Taka, Narutoya. He even offered me money. What a ponce..."

He cut through the rope bindings and I fell out of the chair onto my hands and knees, "Ow... Don't be so rough, man... I thought you'd be the nice guy in our group..."

"I'm nice," he countered, "I didn't bind and torture you first."

His laissez faire way of saying that frightened me to my core, "...I wanna go home!"

Sho facepalmed, "It's a damned joke. Either it's puns or dark humor. Pick one!"

"Puns, please..."

He smirked, "Alrighty then. Now, let's go. I've taken enough of your time..."

I decided to get back at him, "If I did this to you... I'd have stolen the Sho, you know."

Sho's face blanked, "Did you just..."

And like that, he led me back to my room, laughing the whole way.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

"And that's why I like cats more..." Sho ended his nonsensical story involving his dick, a ceiling fan, three dogs, a jar of half-eaten peanut butter, his sick twisted brother's pranks, and a bottle of lube.

I slammed my head into the table, "For a smart analytical guy, you've lived the life of a thousand dumbasses..."

Sho chuckled, "Maybe, maybe... So that guy that killed my bro? Hiro. Found out the other day... He told me... But I can't hold it against him. My brother, he... he talked a lot of shit. I warned him that one day someone would fight back, but he... he never listened."

"Still, you have a right to be sad about it," I tried to comfort him, "I'm an only child, and my parents... I miss them every day."

"I can't imagine losing both of my parents, man..." He sighed, "Fuck..."

I decided to change the subject, "What do you think, Sho? About our group... Any ideas who the mastermind could be?"

Sho frowned, "Man... I can't tell. In the first game, a dead chick was hella guilty. And in game two, it was the nobody... Heh, maybe it'll be me." he thought about it, "But that sounds like work... And all I want is to protect Michi-chan..."

"You like her?" I joked.

"I do..." Sho smiled, "The thought of her exploring sites where bodies were discovered, trying to solve mysteries... Rummaging through pockets and searching for clues... Yet it never phases her. She works so dutifully, and she's so damned cute..." He was blushing, "I'd love to Sho her a good time..."

I cringed, "Your name is really grating now."

Sho laughed, "Aw, thought those jokes would grow on you. Like fungus. Eh... Want some pizza?"

"Whatever, fine. Plain, please."

"Oh, choosing one to match your personality? Good eye," As Sho walked off to make food, I glared at him.

Eventually I shrugged it off, "Wash your damn hands, first!"

And we enjoyed a plain cheese pizza that didn't taste suspect, thankfully.

"This is good... The crust sucks, though..." Sho sighed in disbelief, "This pan deluxe is crustier than Honoka's used panties."

Once again, a very unpleasant image to put into my head, "Enough! I'm trying to eat!"

Sho chuckled, patting me on the back, "You and her both..."

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Sho and I decided lazily to not do a fifth free time event, since we got each other on a deeper plane of existence, alright? Maybe sometimes events don't happen in one moment... Our lives are one continuous stream, not just a sequence of important scenes... Alright, dude?

 **Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill, "Sho Time". You are immune to migraines induced by sheer stupidity thanks to Sho's dual personas. This skill grants you the ability to say the most wrong shit in trials possible. It's not helpful in the slightest, but it's worth a laugh with all the work the voice actors put into saying and reacting to these responses.**

 **You have been awarded Sho's undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu.**


	20. Kotoko Utsugi's Feel Time Events

**Free Time Events with Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy (Complete)**

 **Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress**

 **Ryoji Iwasaki, the Ultimate Archaeologist (Complete)**

 **Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist (Complete)**

 **Maria Nobutsuna, the Ultimate Cartographer (Complete)**

 **Akira Sanada, the Ultimate Dancer (Complete)**

 **Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Dreamer (Complete)**

 **Honoka Asai, the Ultimate Eroge Producer (Complete)**

 **Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst (Complete)**

 **Aya Nakajima, the Ultimate Football Star (Complete)**

 **Ryuu Nomoya, the Ultimate Game Designer (Complete)**

 **Shiori Tojiko, the Ultimate Meteorologist (Complete)**

 **Hiro Satoru, the Ultimate Muay Thai Fighter (Complete)**

 **Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman (Complete)**

 **Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic**

 **Kicho Taika, the Ultimate Store Manager (Complete)**

 **Narutoya Nobunaga, the Ultimate Telemarketer (Complete)**

 **Sho Takeda, the Ultimate Volunteer (Complete)**

 **Free Time Event 1#**

Kotoko Utsugi, the Ultimate Actress and former Fighter in the Warriors of Hope. The girl whose life I ruined. I had to tell her.

I approached her one morning, "Kotoko? I wanted to talk."

"Really? I thought you didn't like me, Naoya-Kun! You ignored me all the time..." She said this sadly, her tail drooping. Why did it move with her emotions? What was this Angel Beats business about?

"Kotoko, it's not that I dislike you. I mean, hell, I even know about your past..." I made a mistake there, "We... we went to school together, way back when. Before you started acting."

Kotoko put a finger to her chin, "Oh, we did? I don't remember that... Just this one kid who everybody always yelled at... Wait, was that you!?"

I cringed, "Yeah... That was me. They didn't like me. My talent would predict them dying, after all."

"So you dream about bad stuff, then?" She sounded disappointed.

"Yeah... I even..." Come on me, say it. Say it and get it over with. Just rip the wound open and move on! "I... predicted... I had a dream as you."

Her eyes dulled the second I said that, "You... what?"

I nodded, "I... I experienced life through your eyes, only once. And it was... You were scared, and I..." I bit my lip until it bled, "I never told you, never told anyone... So when I heard... about Towa City, about your past..."

"So you know what my mother did to me for her own dreams, then?" She lost that happy edge to her voice, "You even felt one of my experiences..."

"And I kept quiet like a fucking coward," I was getting emotional, my guilt and hatred for myself boiling to the top, "I'm just as much at fault as anyone else... So if you hate me... If you wanted to kill me, even..."

Kotoko turned away, "Naoya..."

I stepped back, "I... I said it. Now... I'll leave you alone. Like I know you want me to..." I wiped the blood from my chin with my sleeve, "I'm... so... No, there's no forgiveness... What I did was unforgivable. I don't deserve to live..."

I awoke with a scream, smashing my head against something else. I rubbed my head and saw what I had hit. Kotoko was sprawled on the floor, rubbing her head as well, "Ow... I wanted to wake you up for breakfast, and you do this to me!? How rude..."

The dream still vivid in my mind, I softened my tone, "I'm sorry, Kotoko..." I couldn't say it yet. The face she made when I told her, it tore my heart out.

She jumped up, "No problem. I'm not hurt... Let's go to breakfast, Naoya!" She cheered, "Come on, let's go, let's go, let's go!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed, excitedly cheering all the way.

"Fine, fine... Stop pulling so hard!" I couldn't help smiling as she led me out into the other room. She may have had a bloodied history, but damn was she cute...

 **Free Time Event 2#**

I took Kotoko with me to the manga cafe to let her run around and find something she liked. She was excited for someone to spend time with her, since she put off some of the others, like Akira or Kojiro, who likely knew her background.

"And then Masaru started shouting about wieners... Ridiculous, isn't it? I wished some people would just grow up already... Nagisa says it's a phase teenagers go through, but Komaru was never like this. I think?" Kotoko sighed, "What do you think?"

I had barely followed her excited commentary all the way through her story, "Everyone is different. Some people grow up faster... I'd say you're very adult."

Kotoko frowned, "Ugh, being a demon sucks. I hope I never end up like... Like those demons I fought."

I opened the door to the cafe for her, "Kotoko... You won't. You're too nice to do that."

"I did it before..." she muttered weakly, "So, what would you recommend? Something gorey? Lewd? Maybe a shoujo manga... What would I like? Hm..."

I chuckled, "Maybe a trivia book... We have some manga that discuss random facts."

Her eyes widened, "Really!? Get it, get it, get it, get it!" She cheered me on as I searched. I found an example and handed it to her, "Oh, the cover character's so pretty! I bet she has mountains of mind break doujins!"

"That's an extreme example to jump to..." I was afraid of this girl sometimes.

She glanced up at me, "It's just the truth. No one in Japan can get laid normally anymore. They're all too afraid to just ask girls out. And why ask when you can take it..." Her hands gripped the book harder at the end, "Oh, that's... Sorry, it's hard to get past the whole mass killing of adults thing... I know that you and a few others know, but it's embarrassing. I probably scare you, huh?"

I shook my head, "Kotoko, I've never considered you scary. You've been kind to me, gentle..." Fuck. I knew the second after I said it what I had done.

Kotoko stopped reading and just stood there, like I hit an off switch. After a few seconds, she closed the book, "I'll take it. And the whole series. Help me get it back, okay!?"

I nodded, and we walked back carrying an entire set of manga. It hurt my back, but I felt I owed her that and more. The world, even...

 **Free Time Event 3#**

Kotoko and I were enjoying a drink together. We had spent a lot of time together, and I was still trying to muster my courage to tell her.

"Silly Shelly sold shellfish and salty seashells down by the seashore. How many shellfish and seashells could Silly Shelly sell if she went to a better market?" Kotoko was tearing apart popular tongue twisters, since they usually lacked logic, "If people wanted to twist their tongues, they should just get cherries and knot them."

I scratched my head, "That... I mean, if you were bad at it, you might hurt yourself doing it..."

Kotoko sighed, putting her manga down, "I already finished that series. My mind has all of these awesome ideas bouncing around, but nothing really sticks. This is the second stickiest I've ever been."

Cursing to myself in my head, I tried to talk about something else, "Did you at least enjoy it?"

"It was great! At first, it wasn't that good, but maybe I just grew to like it... Or is that Stockholm Syndrome?" She paused, "Or would I be a masochist... I can't tell. What do you think, Naoya? Am I better as an S or an M?"

I struggled to answer momentarily, "I... I-I... Don't you already know?"

Kotoko placed her head on the table, "You think I would. It felt so good to control people, to make them do what I wanted... To see them at their most vulnerable. I felt accomplished, like I was in control. But some part of me seems to enjoy being told what to do. Even as a Warrior, I really only ever fell into Monaca's hands time and again... Maybe the damage is permanent..."

And that shattered the heart I had, "...Kotoko... Then be both, if that's what makes you happy. Decide your own path forward..."

"You think I can do that?" Kotoko asked sheepishly, "With all I've done... Do I even deserve to be happy?"

That was when I knew I had to tell her sooner rather than later, "...Kotoko, everyone deserves to be happy. I promise you that; and if you want, I'll be by your side to help you."

"Really?" She was still in disbelief, "What if the others find out and hurt me, kill me? Are you willing to save me even if it means killing them? Could you look them in the eyes and take their lives if it meant protecting me?"

... Well fuck, that got real, "If I had to... then yes. I mean it, Kotoko... I'll be there for you, even if it's scary, or painful, or lonely... I won't abandon you. I promise my life on it."

Kotoko then asked, "Then would you die for me?" I gulped, "So I could escape?" She said this with a serious look on her face, as if she was asking for a deal right now.

"...Yes." I held out my hand to her, "If you absolutely need me to, I will..."

She closed her eyes and jumped up from the table, "Naoya... Thank you. I... That's not going to be necessary. I wouldn't kill to escape. I couldn't kill you, least of all... I'll just die here, eventually, alone and unloved... Like I deserve to."

Before I could respond, she turned and ran, abandoning me in the cafe, her tears landing on the floor all the way out the door.

 **Free Time Event 4#**

I approached her one morning, "Kotoko? I wanted to talk."

"Really? I thought you didn't like me, Naoya-Kun! You ignored me all the time..." She said this sadly, her tail drooping. Why did it move with her emotions? What was this Angel Beats business about?

"Kotoko, it's not that I dislike you. I mean, hell, I even know about your past..." I made a mistake there, "We... we went to school together, way back when. Before you started acting."

Kotoko put a finger to her chin, "Oh, we did? I don't remember that... Just this one kid who everybody always yelled at... Wait, was that you!?"

I cringed, "Yeah... That was me. They didn't like me. My talent would predict them dying, after all."

"So you dream about bad stuff, then?" She sounded disappointed.

"Yeah... I even..." Come on me, say it. Say it and get it over with. Just rip the wound open and move on! "I... predicted... I had a dream as you."

Her eyes dulled the second I said that, "You... what?"

I nodded, "I... I experienced life through your eyes, only once. And it was... You were scared, and I..." I bit my lip until it bled, "I never told you, never told anyone... So when I heard... about Towa City, about your past..."

"So you know what my mother did to me for her own dreams, then?" She lost that happy edge to her voice, "You even felt one of my experiences..."

"And I kept quiet like a fucking coward," I was getting emotional, my guilt and hatred for myself boiling to the top, "I'm just as much at fault as anyone else... So if you hate me... If you wanted to kill me, even..."

Kotoko turned away, "Naoya..."

I stepped back, "I... I said it. Now... I'll leave you alone. Like I know you want me to..." I wiped the blood from my chin with my sleeve, "I'm... so... No, there's no forgiveness... What I did was unforgivable. I don't deserve to live..."

"...But..." I remembered my dream, but I wouldn't let it end there, "But I did this. So all that guilt you feel... is mine, too. I said it before and I'll swear to it, again." I walked up to her and when she turned around, I pulled her into a hug, "I'll fight for you. I'll protect you, and if need be, I will die for you." I rested my head on top of hers, careful to avoid her horns, "I've wanted to die, the moment I discovered what I did to you... I hate myself, and I can't forgive myself... But if I can see you smile, even for a little while, I'll do whatever you want of me... Kotoko... I'm sorry!" I clutched her tightly, unable to hold back my emotions, "For what I did... For waiting to tell you..." I pulled back and noticed she was crying, too.

"Naoya... I knew that already."

"...What?"

Kotoko shook her head, "I met a man. He claimed to be your father..." I felt my chest tighten, "I caught him, but he said he was looking for me. He told me what you did. And how that guilt ate away at you... He even lied to you and came all the way out here to meet me, to tell me that..."

I remembered files on my dad's computer mentioning the names of the Warriors, but I never thought his motive was about me, "But..."

"He begged for me to forgive you, that no matter what I had done, he understood... He was bleeding, covered in the blood of his colleagues, begging for me to forgive you, not for his life..." Kotoko watched her tears hit the ground, "I... I want to say I spared him, but... My hatred blinded me, and I killed him. And even as he died, he screamed for me to forgive you... But I forgot all about that until... Until you told me your name. And all of those memories..." Kotoko grabbed my arms, "You're not the one who needs to be forgiven, Naoya! I am! I'm the one who... who took your father from you, a man who loved you so much that he died trying to make you happy!"

I stepped back, my mind reeling. So many emotions overcame me in that one moment, "Dad..." I fell to my knees and started sobbing into my hands, thinking on his last words to me, his goodbye... That last wave he gave when he entered that car and never returned... His death was my fault even more than I ever could have known... Why!? Why was I born!? Why couldn't I have died that day, in the road, and save my family the trouble!? Why, why, why!?

 **Free Time Event 5#**

Kotoko... I awoke with a fright, thinking it was a recurring dream. I looked around my room. It was night time. Why was it night time!? I jumped up out of bed, noticing I was undressed. Was it really...?

Then I saw Kotoko on my floor, sleeping next to a chair she presumably slept on. Quietly, I dressed myself before tapping her awake on the shoulder, "Kotoko... What are you doing here?"

Kotoko heard my voice and grabbed me in a vice grip, cutting off my air, "Naoya!" She was screaming but also whispering because it was late? Okay?

"Choking... Please... let... go..." I managed to choke that out.

She loosened her grip, "You don't like being choked? Well, maybe not with my arms..." She let go of me and jumped up, sitting on my bedside and patting on it for me to join her, "We should talk."

I sat next to her, "What happened to me? All I remember is... freaking out and crying."

"That might be a normal day for you, huh?" She was teasing me, right? "You passed out. I brought you back and had to undress you. Good thing I remember how to do that. Guys are lazy..."

Ignoring that one. Good lord, did she have dark humor, "Kotoko... I... Thank you..." I hugged her, "Just... Thank you for... for everything."

Kotoko looked up into my eyes, "Naoya...? Have you... have you ever fallen in love?"

"...I..." Hadn't thought about it. I mean, I never planned for my future at all anymore. I wholly expected to die here.

"Because I've always wondered what it was like..." Kotoko sat on my lap and talked, saying what she wanted to, "For a long time, I wondered. What makes lust and love different? Why can both drive someone to cruelty, to evil? Why would good people, even you, stand by while the worst things happen? And why me?"

She talked so casually, but I knew she was acting right now, hiding her pain deep down inside of her.

She continued, "I never understood, no matter what Nagisa taught me, or what I learned from Mr. Naegi. But I think I finally know... Bad things happen because the world can be bad... It can be scary and cruel... If you're a kid, an adult, a teenager... You don't control anything but how you feel, and how you react." She rested her head against me, "Well, I know what I want. I strove to become the best actress, even with my past, because I wanted to make a future for myself. I joined up with you out of guilt, because I wanted to tell you what I did... And you felt the same, right?"

I nodded, "We both suffered in silence for so long, wondering how the other felt... We're really alike in that regard, don't you think?"

"I've thought about it since we were trapped here. Is this my destiny, my payback? Is karma killing me for how evil, how wrong I was? I thought so, but then you changed my outlook," She snuggled up to me even more tightly, "I think we were meant to suffer... Because we both know how evil really is... We know how much our actions can hurt others. That allows us to save the world, right? I want to help others, like I wanted someone to help me... And I think you feel the same. Telling me you want to die to save me..." She chuckled, "I don't want you to die for me, Naoya. I want you to live. Beside me..."

"Kotoko..."

She gave me a fiery look of determination, "That's what I want. If you can make it up to me, do it by... By staying with me..." She put her hand on my face, ever so delicately, "Play with me, talk with me... Be gentle with me, or rough... We might both be broken... but together, we're whole, right?" She smiled at me, a single tear running down the side of her face and onto the carpet beneath us.

I wrapped my arms around and held her tightly, "Kotoko... I will... I love you..."

"I know..." She said confidently, "You're bad at acting."

"Maybe I am... but I don't need to fake happiness when I'm with you..." I kissed her on the head, feeling her heartbeat as she remained restless on my lap, "Stay with me... Just for tonight, will you?"

Kotoko smiled up at me, "Of course... I planned to even if you said no... I'm very persuasive... I even got Masaru to give me all of his desserts in school for a year for his homework. Well, for a week. Then I joked about blackmailing, and he never stopped. Hehe..."

That's adorable, you little extortionist, "That's my girl..."

"Now, we get to ask... Are you an S or an M?" Kotoko gave me a licentious gaze, and I suddenly felt very afraid for the near future.

 **Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill, "Brilliant Performance". You and Kotoko are partners in life; treat this duty with much respect. This skill grants you the ability to recharge your Focus faster the higher your Influence gauge.**

 **You have been awarded Kotoko's Pink Undergarments! You can access the description in the Presents menu.**


	21. Prologue Ending

**Author's Note: No FTEs for Shinji. Don't worry about it. Not important. Let's get to the game. I also apologize for the shortness of the FTEs, but as they are optional this time, they involved much less action and group interactions. I still hope you deeply enjoyed the ones you read. Now let's finish this prologue! :D**

 **Prologue: The Games Will Now Begin**

 **-?-**

Monokuma was in a dark room sitting across from a mysterious silhouette, likely of the mastermind not in the game, "That's right, the Shinji we captured was a fraud. Er, rather... A different one. And he escaped, so we're down to seventeen. Such an odd number."

The other person chuckled, "Is that so? So our readings were correct... They traveled here through a time machine... And that is why I'm here... Science is bullshit."

"Yeah, but hey... How can we lobotomize for talent or despair? How are you alive in the first place, haha! You should be dead, you despair-loving monster..."

A smile appeared in the silhouette, "I'm well aware. And he went to save the others from the previous game?"

Monokuma nodded, "I suppose so... Regardless, we can continue our game. They won't be able to ruin it in time, and our hordes of Monokumas are endless. What do we do about the odd number, though? It's so... odd."

"You know what to do already, you damned bear," The person responded angrily.

"Alright, alright... Don't get mad, Jun-"

The silhouette cut Monokuma off, "Say my name and die. We have no idea who might be listening in."

Monokuma frowned, "Awe, okay... We'll talk more later. Lunch, it'll be great! Now I have to play the execution game! Upupupupu!"

 **-Naoya's POV-**

The feeling of moving was what brought me to my senses. I tried to stand, but my legs were weak. The room, or wherever I was, was darker than I thought possible. I heard the sound of an engine running, or something... Suddenly, light flooded the room and I clutched my face in desperation, nearly shouting in pain as my eyes took forever to adjust. Everyone around me was similarly blinded as we tried to gather our bearings. We were in some gigantic room that was empty. I noticed portholes on the side. Was this a boat? We weren't rocking, though. It felt more like... Like flying?

The entire thing we were in stopped, knocking some of us off our feet, knocking us into the ground, hurting ourselves, "Sorry, turbulence on airships is pretty bad, upupupu!"

In front of the seventeen of us, a giant monitor lowered, and that damned bear appeared, "Howdy guys!? Are you excited!? See, the prologue usually has an example execution, right? We forgot to do that! So now we'll make up for lost time!"

"An execution... But we didn't do anything!?" Hiro yelled in anger, annoyed at the casual way Monokuma mocked our situation.

Monokuma laughed, "Well, we have seventeen players. A good killing game has to be even! And since that idiot Romantic found a way to escape, we have to thin the herd!"

Kotoko sighed, "This is... really happening to us?"

Michi shouted, "That's not fair, Monokuma! We didn't break the rules! Why are you cheating?"

"Talk to me like that again and it'll be you I gut." Monokuma's claws extended.

Sho jumped in front of her, "I dare you to try. I'll fuckin' deck you mate, swear on me mum!"

Monokuma laughed, "Ah, what it's like to be kids... Now, I asked my boss who, and she suggested the last one to join. Since Shinji left, Sheena should obviously be punished."

"What!? Me!?" Sheena screamed in protest, "Why me!? I've spent my whole life trying to undo death!"

"Sucks for you, huh?" Monokuma showed up in the center of the room and sixteen stands. A chair arose below Monokuma alongside a big red button. I knew that button intimately, "Sheena, about your friends I killed... You'll be reunited at last!"

And without another word, he hit the button and the screen came up in new font.

The Ultimate Biologist's Final Autopsy!

A chain shot out from behind us, wrapping around Sheena's neck, arms, and legs. Like that, defenseless, she was slowly dragged across the room screaming the entire way through the door.

The screen changed again, and she was now bound to an operating table as several machines were placed precariously above her; saws, blades, knives, scalpels, anything you might find in a surgeon's tool set. She was screaming to be let go, but as a doctor Monokuma ran up beside her and that familiar music started playing, I already knew she had no hope.

Doctor Kuma ran forward, an excited look on his face as he grabbed a scalpel and shoved it directly into Sheena's stomach. She screamed in agony as blood started shooting out from her body. Her agonized screams continued, and I looked away, falling to my knees, vomiting onto the floor.

I closed my eyes hoping it would be over, and when I opened them, I... I was on that table. I looked down at my bound body, at the gaping hole in my stomach, as Monokuma brought down a circular saw and slowly entered it into my chest cavity, grinding my insides like a fucking smoothie. The pain was unimaginable, and I felt my entire body shudder one last time...

The feeling of moving was what brought me to my senses. I tried to stand, but my legs were weak. The room, or wherever I was, was darker than I thought possible. I heard the sound of an engine running, or something... Suddenly, light flooded the room and I clutched my face in desperation, nearly shouting in pain as my eyes took forever to adjust. Everyone around me was similarly blinded as we tried to gather our bearings. We were in some gigantic room that was empty. I noticed portholes on the side. Was this a boat? We weren't rocking, though. It felt more like... Like flying?

And then it clicked, "No... No! I... that..." Sheena was in danger! I had to stop Monokuma!

And everything played out the same. The announcement, the threats, and then his choice.

I stepped in front of Sheena, "Monokuma, no! Take me instead! I won't watch you do this!"

"Oh? But Naoya, she was chosen... I have her execution set up and everything..." Monokuma chuckled evilly, "Why protect her? Is this what young love is?"

"Cut the bullshit!" I shouted, my voice cracking, "Why does it have to be her? I'm volunteering! Take me down! Or do you fear me!?"

Monokuma silenced himself before opening his little bear mouth, "Would you protect the girl who raised your mother from the dead?" My heart stopped, "The reason that monster came home, asking if you were okay, gargling her words as her flesh fell onto you... That was Sheena's fault. She experimented on dead corpses, desecrated them, toyed with them, all for her own selfish wish to bring her sister back to life. Was that really worth protecting?"

I stood there, entranced. I asked, "Is what Monokuma said true!?"

Sheena didn't answer at first, but when I yelled the question again louder, she spoke, "I might have... It's not impossible..."

I couldn't believe those words. I still felt the feeling of my dead mother, holding me, falling apart, crying, telling me through ruined vocal chords as best she could that she was sorry she ever left.

I turned to Monokuma, "Do you think I'll let her die because of that!? I won't give in to your fucking life ruining motive, you cunt!"

Monokuma sighed, "Stubborn, eh? Well, it's good that you're not my boss." And he slammed down on that button.

I turned and ran towards Sheena, pushing her out of the way of the oncoming chain. The chain moved, following her, wrapping around her. I grabbed the claws and tried to follow them, but another chain wrapped around my neck, pulling me off it and nearly killing me with the force. As I slammed onto the hard cold metal floor, all I could hear were Sheena's screams before I passed out, clutching my bruised neck.

I awoke in my room a sleeping Kotoko next to my bed. I felt my throat, still sore from the chain that gripped my life and made me relive all of my happiest memories. And then my thoughts turned to Sheena... I wasn't able to save her, was I? I reached for my handbook in desperation, turned it to the students tab... and dropped it in horror. When I went to her page, not only did it ex her out as deceased... I saw what was left of her. And I began crying. What else could I do?

"Remember Naoya... Tomorrow the game begins. And you have no control here. Understand? Good..." Monokuma's voice traveled into my brain, though I couldn't tell from where or why. I just silently thanked Kotoko for bringing me back and fell onto my pillow, crying myself to sleep.

Tomorrow would be our first day in the killing game; our first real day. Shinji had abandoned us; he was listed as Missing. Sheena was dead, and I knew exactly how she died, how horrible it was...

I couldn't let this happen again... I'd rather die than go through this pain... We just met her yesterday. We literally had no time with her... Why did she have to suffer!? What did she do to deserve that!? I forgave her!

...Brooding won't help me. I just have to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll plan our response. I had faith the others would know what to do. We just... We had to...


	22. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Day One

**Author's Note: Each chapter will host enough free time to max out two/three characters. So a new game 'perfect run' is possible, if you guess every victim and blackened or use a guide. That being said, presume this is a 'perfect game' run, where the characters maxed are the ones who die. Extra scenes will be provided and *hopefully* labeled.**

 **Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil-Daily Life**

 **Day One**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I awoke with a start. Kotoko was by my bed, "You should really lock your door. I mean, and deadbolt it. Just about anyone can lock pick..."

I looked over at my door and saw it had been ripped off of its hinges by her denture gun, which she had strapped to her back, "...Did you have to, though?"

"Come on, group meeting is gonna start, silly!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me forward. The others were all gathered in our makeshift dining hall. Some of them looked exhausted, like they'd gotten no sleep. Ryoji and Sho were aggressively eating ramen, probably a dumb competition they made up, while Aya watched with a timing clock in her hand.

Honoka was playing a game on her handheld and Ryuu was writing in his journal, probably ideas about his game he'd been working on. I guess it was better to focus on that then the shit we saw last night.

Akira walked in from the kitchen and placed her hand on her hip, "Finally got his ass, huh Kotoko? We got everyone?"

Narutoya adjusted his shades, sitting in between Sho and Kicho, "Everyone that matters."

Taka slipped in and sat at the edge of the table, while Michi joined Sho's side. Maria walked in behind Akira, ripping meat off of a chicken leg, "You want a beat down, telephone whore?"

I sat myself down, not wanting to get involved. Shiori was to my right, Kotoko to my left. I waited until everyone else got into place and Akira started the discussion, putting her cigarette butt out in the ashtray she kept on her end of the table, "So... What the fuck do we do now, sweet protagonists?" Akira asked, gauging our reactions.

Shiori raised her hand, "What can we do? The city's exits are all blocked off..."

Kojiro checked his handbook for notes, making clicking sounds with his tongue but not saying anything.

Michi turned to Sho, "Any ideas?"

"What if we like... take the hotel... and push it somewhere else?" He laughed at his own stupid suggestion. Was he high again?

Maria rolled her eyes and bit another chunk off of her chicken leg, "Of course he suggests something stupid again... What other options do we have?"

"We have the upper hotel floors to investigate..." Akira reminded us, "Had a sixteen on the door, but we might have to go together. Not sure we can risk splitting up in our current situation."

"Then let's check it out..." Taka suggested, weakly smiling.

Narutoya ignored him, "We should investigate. An excellent suggestion on my part."

And with that, we all headed upstairs to the doorway that blocked off the rest of the hotel. The doors weren't anything special, besides unbreakable, and since this location was so close to home, we felt we might be safe if we were to enter this place to investigate.

Akira opened the door with a loud kick, "Hey, it moved. Seems they're automated, or something. Well? I'm not going in first."

Narutoya nominated someone, "Let Taka go. That'll be fine."

Taka sighed and walked forward, already used to Narutoya's treating him more like a lap dog than a person, "Whatever..."

When he walked in and a million traps didn't set off, Akira followed, patting him on the head, "Appreciate it, Suzuha. I'd go, but if anything happened to me these guys would be like headless chickens."

Maria, tossing her eaten chicken leg into a nearby trash can in the hallway, puffed out her cheeks, "Excuse you, Akira. I'm the accomplished one here."

"You can't lead our group and be afraid of the dark," She shot back, giving her a mischievous grin, "Nor can you lead while hiding secrets... Mario-chan?" Akira winked as Maria glared at her, balling her hands tightly, "And you're so easy to tease, too..."

Maria scoffed at her friend, "I won't be annoyed by your petty attempts. Let's start exploring before Monokuma decides to break the rules again."

A screen at the end of the hallway blinked and Monokuma appeared, "I didn't break the rules! I do what Boss says! And no worries; the sixteen of you are safe from me! But from each other..."

"Why would we trust you now?" Hiro was still livid, his anger towards Monokuma ever growing, "You're a cheating little bitch! Come out and fight me like a man, bear!"

Monokuma just laughed, "Do you feel powerless and weak, little man?" He was just mocking us, like we were rats in his maze. I felt Hiro's rage inside of me, but I knew getting angry wouldn't help, "Don't you wish you could just kill someone in cold blood to fix your problems?"

Hiro's anger dropped, leaving just awe, "What did you say?"

"You remember. Some guy said Aya was better than you, so you put him in a coma! Just practically murdered him! I wouldn't be surprised if you killed someone here to escape! Once a weak-willed little bitch, always one..." Monokuma's laugh turned sinister, more foreboding, "Anyone else want to argue with me about morals? What about you, Taka?"

Taka just silently glared at Monokuma, not wanting to encourage his behaviour.

"Oh, come now... Is it my fault you killed your entire school?" Some of us gasped, some of us remained quiet, Akira smirked while Maria handed her a two thousand yen.

"I... They deserved it. I did it for Satsuki-Chan!" Taka ran up to the monitor, set off by his prodding, "What they did to her... I have no regrets! Let them die!"

Monokuma sighed, "Tsk, tsk, Taka. This game is also meant to be your rehabilitation, you know? For you to overcome your past sins... Looks like I'll have to step up my efforts, too."

And underneath the monitor, gas started pouring into the hallway.

Akira shouted and moved to the doorway, but the doors had locked on us while we were distracted. The door said it would open after the trial, and I knew what that meant. The bastard had trapped us here; maybe all of those doors were traps like this.

I reached for Kotoko as the gas overcame all of us, and we dropped to the floor one by one like flies sprayed by cleaning fluids.

When I woke up, I was staring into carpet. I glanced around. I was in a hotel room. The door was closed, the lamp on the nightstand was on, my only source of illumination. I felt my body, my head, anywhere. No wounds, no cuts... Nothing.

I grabbed my handbook from my pocket and inspected the map. I was on the third floor of the hotel. The area was labeled Male Dorms. The fourth floor had the girl rooms; the fifth floor had elevator access. The routes to it on all of the other floors, like the first floor, were blocked off. Monokuma might be hiding something in those cordoned off areas, though.

There was an underground parking lot area that had a workshop and a mechanic's office. All of the other floors were either in pretty bad shape or mostly abandoned; no interesting icons came up until the thirteenth floor, which had a stairwell leading up to roof access. There was a helicopter platform up there, but I didn't consider that an option. Why trap us here if we could just leave that way?

I noticed a small update icon in the upper right corner and clicked it. Lo and behold, it held a page for life ruining statistics. My life had been ruined by Sheena, bringing my mother back to life. I had ruined Kotoko's, and it also logged the others. Hiro killed the family of one of us and Taka killed both the parents and sibling of somebody here, though it didn't specify who. So this was updated for us, too?

I sat there in silence, wondering what the others could have done, how we were all connected together. But try as I might, speculation would only get me so far. I'd have to ask, to befriend them to solve that mystery.

I noticed one last oddity; Shinji had ruined Sheena's life by getting her sister killed, and his life had been ruined by Michi; her inability to catch a gang led to his greatest tragedy.

That was pleasant information to have. I put my handbook away and observed my new 'room'. It was for me, presumably; it had my name on the map. The room was the same as the previous one, but it was better; nicer ventilation, a heating and air conditioning system next to barred windows.

The time was only 12:30 PM... Hey, that's not too bad. Plenty of daylight left... What should I do?

 ***Free Time Engage***

I got back to my room. It wasn't too late, so i figured I'd have time for hang out with someone else.

 ***Free Time Engage***

A knock at my door right when I stepped inside my room drew my attention, "Come on, Naoya-Kun! Akira wants a meeting!"

And reluctantly, I followed her. We headed down to the end of the hall, up two flights of stairs, and stopped in a large room, another dining hall for the higher floor patrons. We each took a seat, the same as this morning, with more distance between us with how large this table was.

"Did anyone actually spend their time investigating?" Kojiro addressed us sharply, surveying us, "Even if you don't do it immediately, I recommend going through the floors yourself. There aren't any signs of Monokumas but go prepared."

Ryuu raised his hand, "Did you find any computers?"

Kojiro nodded, "There are some in a small office on the tenth floor. The cords are tangled; it'll be quite a pain to go through. Get one for me when you can; a sleek laptop, preferably."

"Alright..." Ryuu whined a little, "Cords are made by the Devil..."

Ryoji sighed, "Man... And the nearest bathroom is the fifth floor, too. I'm gonna hate going up stairs every time I have to pee."

Sho slammed a dirty-looking water bottle onto the table, "Just do this, man. Everything's a sink if you try hard enough..."

"No... That's... No..." Ryoji gave him a disgusted grimace.

"Ignoring him... We should listen to the man," she motioned to Kojiro, "Investigate the hotel on our own time, sooner rather than later. I'll make some rounds for any items that could be considered dangerous. Anything else?"

Taka raised his hand, "We could implement a buddy sy-"

"A buddy system!" Narutoya cut him off, "Preferably in groups of three. That's five groups whenever we're doing something investigative, and then someone gets to stay behind. What about you, Taka?"

Taka just nodded his head, dropping his hand and looking disappointed.

Narutoya smirked, "Excellent. As a man chosen by God, I will lead us to safety!"

"You're not an oracle, stupid..." Kicho glared at him, "You're a washed up telemarketer with a penchant for stealing credit. Did you invent the light bulb too?"

Maria demanded, "So what was that bear on about, Taka? Did you really kill a school?" We all stopped discussing amongst ourselves and focused on the short, shaking boy at the edge of his seat, "Well, talk. My handbook has it listed, too."

Aya spoke up, "He... I... my family was killed in a school. They were attacked by a chemical attack. The school said it was an accidental leak, but... Well, Taka... Did you do it?"

Taka was shaking even harder now, his hands pressed against his knees, "I didn't... I never wanted to hurt anyone innocent!"

"But you did." Narutoya pressed him, "I always suspected a leech like you would sink so low... To kill innocents with poison... Not even Junko would-"

Kicho elbowed Narutoya in the face to shut him up, "Taka... But why did you do it?"

Taka twiddled his thumbs, staring hard at his hands in his lap, "They... They were..." He shook his head, "They did things to my only friend Satsuki-Chan... In front of everyone, like it was a fucking spectacle... Of course I did what I did. I felt powerless; and I hated them, I hated them all! Weren't they all guilty!?" He gazed at each and every one of us, "Wouldn't you be guilty if you sat back and just... watched!?"

I glanced over at Kotoko, who gave me an odd look, but I didn't say anything.

"Regardless of what they did, innocent people got caught in the cross hairs. You shouldn't have acted so rashly!" Akira shouted over him. She never got this angry over typical things, "Out of all the people here, you might deserve to be in this game the most."

"Akira, that's not-" Maria tried to reason with her.

Akira pushed Maria's hand away, "Are we going to pretend like it's safe to be around him!? He killed an entire school! What if he gassed us, too!?" None of us spoke up for a few moments, "Tch... I'm not saying we hang the witch, but it's something to be concerned about!"

Ryuu agreed, "I'd rather he stay behind in lockdown. Can we keep him in his room or something?"

Ryoji nudged him in the shoulder, "Dude, really?"

"Why should I trust him!?" Ryuu exclaimed, "We literally just met, and he's got blood soaking through his clothes at this point! Why are we the bad guys for taking precautions!?"

Maria finally gave in, "Alright, alright... Taka, I'm sorry, but... I think we have to go with their suggestion for now."

Taka just glared at us, "Then why don't we all come clean?" Again, silence came over our group, "Every one of us just confess to what we did, right here. Then I'll accept your moral high ground bullshit."

None of us spoke up. Realistically, we wouldn't be jumping on the chance to sell ourselves out, especially since we were divided and trapped. Animals get dangerous when cornered, and we all understood that simple fact of life.

"That's what I expected from you all..." Taka jumped up out of his chair, "Well, Narutoya? What did God choose you to do?"

Narutoya seemed offended by that assertion, "How dare you! I would never sink to the level of ruining people's lives... Not like a volunteer might!"

Taka got into his face, "Answer the question, oh disciple of Heaven... Or are you all talk and no action? Right... That's all your talent is good for. Talk." Narutoya glared up at him, "No friends, no family, no allies. Everyone here just tolerates you. Not even your mouth is worth your attitude. Why don't you go back to your room and try to sell Monokuma one of your Sham wow reject market products, huh?"

"Guys... This isn't helping..." Hiro stepped in between the two of them, "Don't make me slam you guys."

Narutoya hissed, "Oh, violence is bad? Tell that to the guy you murdered! How do we know you won't just lose it and hurt us next time!?"

Hiro's face fell when Narutoya said that. When Narutoya pushed past him, Hiro just let him go, standing there in silence.

"Yeah... Maybe a group meeting wasn't a good plan..." Akira sighed, putting her cigarette out. "Groups... I'll think of groups for tomorrow. Everyone, get some rest. Lock your doors, and don't leave unless it's necessary. Got it?"

We all nodded and scattered to the winds, some of us getting food and drinks, others using the restroom.

By nine thirty we were all back in our rooms. I stared at my ceiling, wondering where I went wrong. I reached over and felt nothing, sighing to myself. I had a plush cat my father got me, but that was downstairs. I'd have to sleep alone tonight. I curled up in a ball and just sobbed silently to myself.

 **Ding dong, bing bong!**

" **Ahem... Hope's Peak Academy's Executive Committee has an an announcement to make..." Monokuma was displaying on every monitor through the city. Billboards i could see through my window, and a small monitor above my doorway, "It is now 10 P.M. Since it is now night time, some places may be locked down for security reasons! Remember to lock your doors! Good night, sleep tight... Don't let the crippling depression biiiiiiiite!"**

Hearing that, I felt compelled to check something out. I walked to my door, unlocked it, and snuck into the darkened hallway. All the lights were off. I gripped my flashlight and headed for the stairwell. I reached it and started ascending the cold, stone stairs.

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten... At the eleventh floor, I found the door. Access to Roof was plastered across the door in official black paint. I pushed it open and climbed the final staircases to the top. When I reached the final door, I hoped it might be locked, but of course, it gave way easily. The door screeched along the roof because building code violations aren't important, announcing my entrance to any Monokumas lurking around.

Kotoko was standing in the night wind, her hair flowing, "Naoya... Isn't the night pretty?"

In front of us, the full moon loomed. I felt my heart beat faster at the thought of it smiling down at me, walking out into the light wind to join Kotoko's side, "What are you doing up? Still a rule breaker?"

"I always enjoyed the moonlight. He was my only friend as a child... He never hurt me, or lied to me..." Kotoko frowned, turning her attention to her feet, "I nearly killed myself once, with the others. But then Big Sis Junko gave us hope. And though it was a sick, twisted, evil hope... It gave me a reason to live." She spoke solemnly, "But now that's gone, too. Do I have a place in the world still? Or am I just awaiting payback?"

I put my hand on her shoulder, "You have a place. Here, with us. With me. You don't have to be afraid, anymore. I'll protect you."

Kotoko blushed a little, "The last time a totally uncool guy said that to a girl way out of his league, she got murdered in his shower. Just so you know."

"Okay, rude..." I stepped back, "I didn't mean to..."

"I was kidding..." She mused. a sad smile on her face, "Honestly, I'm the one who should be thanking you. You liking me would be like a dog liking Stalin... Or a wombat. Do you think if I posted a picture of them together every day on Spacebook I could get a bunch of tags and shares!?"

I didn't even pretend to understand what she just said, "Uh... But I do like you, Kotoko. You may have a troubled past, but you've never done anything to me."

Kotoko sighed, "Girlwhokilledyourdadsaywhat. What?"

"What?"

"No, not you, silly..." She waved, "It really is beautiful, though. The stars, how they're aligned... Reminds me of just how small we really are."

I nodded, "Yeah... I heard a story once. That every time someone dies, you become a star."

Kotoko became excited at the thought, "Really!? Does that mean I'll have my own constellation!?"

"I don't know, Kotoko," I sighed. She couldn't just move past such a terrible past, "But maybe, if there is a Heaven... They've forgiven you."

"If there is... They're watching me now, huh? Maybe in a movie theater, even..." She continued theorizing aloud, "Do you think Big Sis... No, she does. But do you think mother hates me?"

I patted her on the head ever so gently, "Kotoko... She was the one who wronged you. It's... If she ever did care about you, even in the slightest, she would be looking up at us, on fire, wishing she'd treated you better. Or screaming."

Kotoko leaned up against me, "Hey... Can I stay with you? I left my totally adorbs teddy bear in my room, and I need something soft and defenseless to cuddle."

"Um..." Wouldn't that be indecent? I kept my mouth shut, "Yeah, if you want. Unless we could find you a pillow or..."

"No." She clutched me harder, "You."

I felt my entire face turn a deep red. So... cute! "F-fine..." I struggled with myself to not give her a bear hug right now with that adorable pouty face she was staring me down with, "I said it's fine. You can stay with me."

Kotoko smiled, "Yay~!"

I started walking back to the stairwell with Kotoko riding on my back, refusing to let go. She rested her head on my neck, breathing softly, "You're not that heavy... I mean... I'll shut up."

"I exercise regularly and diet! Being an actress means being an object of people's affection and lust! If I wasn't used to it, I'd never have gotten this far!"

"Why do you say such horrible things with a smile?" I said, exasperated at her attitude.

Kotoko pointed ahead, "Move faster, horsey! Let's go!"

I rolled my eyes and started descending the stairs. When we finally reached the third floor, she spoke up again, "If you want to do lewd stuff... Just say the magic word... Peeled chestnuts!"

I ignored that for as long as I could, "O-okay... What if it's your idea?"

"I'll just motivate you..." She said this right into my ear, causing my body to shudder. This girl was deadly; no wonder she was the best Actress in the world. But was she acting or... Or was there something more to her playing me like a fiddle?

I unlocked my door and opened it up, bringing her inside. I sat her down on the bed while she lazily reached for me, arms outstretched, "I... I didn't actually..."

"Are you nervous?" Kotoko teased, "Are you afraid that someone might find out about this?"

"I wasn't until now..." I shot back, annoyed by the way she kept taunting me so brazenly, "Why did I say yes?"

She jumped onto my back again, nearly knocking me into my mirror, "You like Kotoko-chan! You like Kotoko-chan!"

I felt so many mixed feelings right now, "Hey, get off! That tickles, and... Hey!"

I landed on the floor on my back with Kotoko on top of me, straddling my chest. She grinned down at me like a haughty nobleman, "You said you wanted me to get off?"

Flashbacks to the news conferences about her played in my head; she had one of the most perverse minds out there. Why did I have to get stuck with her, of all the people in the Warriors? If Nagisa was here, we might be home and safe already... And if it was Monaca... Okay, could be worse, nya.

"Well, Naoya? Answer me..." She teased, getting her face closer to mine, "Should I get off now?"

"Has Honoka rubbed off on you?" I realized right after I said it how she'd misinterpret that one, "I mean... It's not like I dislike you... You're adorbs, Kotoko," I admitted it only after much deliberation with myself, "But this is... We should get to know each other, better."

Kotoko nodded, closing her eyes, "That sounds like a very Naoya answer. This is why I like you, silly. If you were a normal guy... Who knows what you would do? But you're not like the men who scarred me... So it's okay. If I show this side of myself to someone of my own choice, it's fine..." She jumped up off of me, "I'll stop teasing. I'll head back if you really want me to."

I got to my feet and asked, "You wanted to stay, right? Because you're lonely..." She turned to me, "I won't force you out, Kotoko. Like I said before, I want to be there for you. Okay?"

She jumped on me again, knocking me onto the bed in excitement, "Sleepover it is then! No more lonely nights for me!" She laughed at my dazed expression, "Sorry if I wear too much pink. It won't get better from here..." The look in her eye was dangerous. If only I could flee! But seeing her smile as she held me tightly, I knew I couldn't run. Whether it was partly guilt, I knew I did have feelings for her; like I never wanted to let go... But it wasn't love, right?

She fell asleep on me pretty quickly. I decided not to move, since she was already comfortable. I patted her head, resting my head on the pillow. We might not be lovers, but this felt nice... Maybe someday...


	23. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Day Two

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil-Daily Life**

 **Day Two**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

 ***ding dong bing bong***

"Ahem, Hope's Peak's Executive Committee has an announcement to make! Though we aren't officially endorsed by the school, I'm sure someone there will take credit for this. With that school's track record, why not? Upupupu!" Monokuma's smug face appeared on the many monitors throughout the city once more, "Wake up, everyone! It is now 7 AM! And for people that like to sleep in... Ryoji, Ryuu... The appropriate animals you fear will be dumped on you in three, two..."

I jumped out of bed and ran to the doorway, only to see Ryoji and Ryuu burst from their rooms, covered in snakes and spiders, running and screaming. I turned to see the vent above my bed and swore to seal that fucker shut later. Now, to get dressed. "Kotoko...?"

She was cuddling the pillow, sucking on her thumb. I couldn't bother to awaken her at this point.

I dressed myself and headed to the dining hall to see what the others were up to.

Ryuu was rocking, teary eyed as he sat in his chair, "No more... crawling..."

Ryoji was on the other side, crying, "No more... slithering..."

Honoka patted Ryuu on the back, "It's okay. Just imagine that it's a spider chick binding you up..."

"Not helping!" Ryuu shouted at her, still distressed. He falls to the floor in the fetal position, "No... more... Rachnee... Let Luka go!"

"Ignoring that clear mental trauma..." Akira said, opening her flask and downing some, "That was some nasty stuff, what with Sheena... I guess we barely interacted with her, but... That damned bear... I won't ever forgive it!"

Ryoji shook his head, "...Aya?" Aya was walking in, "Want to... hang out with someone?"

Aya nodded, "Shiori just asked me to as well. Let's go with her. That'll be fun, right?"

"Yeah..." The frightened ruin lover nodded, "Anything to get away from here..."

Ryuu got up off of the floor, adjusting his shirt collar, "I have to go to that parking basement. If there's a mechanic's office, I need some welding tools. I will not bow in the face of vear evil!"

Honoka sighed, "Go do whatever you want, then. I have a game to work on. Try not to fall too far behind, okay?"

"Whatever you say..." Ryuu grumbled, "So who's going with me?"

I sighed, "I can. I didn't investigate the hotel myself just yet, anyways."

Michi stepped inside, "May I join you both?" She chuckled, "I wanted to reinvestigate with a set of fresh eyes anyways."

"Sounds like a pain..." Sho scratched inside of his ear and flicked it to the wall, "Don't stay up too late."

He walked off, and Ryuu, Michi, and I headed upstairs.

We made our way to the fourth floor, where the girls were located, "We like our floor. Soundproof rooms, nice upholstery..." Michi offhandedly commented, "My room's next to Kotoko and Honoka's, ironically. It's fun to talk to them, but they're both... eccentric."

"Yes, we know," Ryuu and I replied simultaneously, glancing at each other and nodding in bro code.

Michi looked confused, but neither of us opted to elaborate, so we just moved on. The fifth floor was our first major destination. The rooms were mostly barred or destroyed, blood stains coating the rooms and sometimes even leftover bodies.

"Hey, Ryuu..." I pointed to the corpse of a dead man in the corner, "He's blue da ba dee da be dead!"

Ryuu grasped his face and sighed, "Where's a watch when I need one?" Michi offered him her old metal one, "Okay, that, but bigger. One that clearly says it's time to stop."

I jumped over the body, "Didn't have anything. Except a message. Crying about his daughter's laughs as Monokumas slaughtered his entire family..." I shuddered at the painful messages filled with regret, "It was... bad."

"This is... horrible..." Michi stepped away and into another hallway, putting her arm against the wall, struggling with herself not to cry, "Why would... anyone do this!?"

Ryuu patted her on the back, "It's awful, I know. But we can't just give up, or we'll end up like it. Except in color."

I joked, "Ryuu, don't be racist! Blue and purple people have feelings, too!"

"Stop being an idiot! This is serious..."

Michi sniffled, "Do you think we'll really get out, Ryuu? Or we'll just... die here, alone..."

"Well, don't look at me. I woke up to total nightmare fuel. But I will say that I won't harm anyone. I can promise you that," He gave us a confident smirk to go along with his newfound declaration.

"Of course we won't..." I reassured her, standing on her right side, "We don't have any desires to repeat the mistakes of the past."

Michi looked up to us, smiling through her tears, "You guys mean that? Sho says it'll be alright, but he..." She sighed, wiping her face clean, "When does he ever take things seriously...?"

I rubbed my neck, taking a few steps ahead, "He could surprise us..."

Ryuu folded his arms, "Look, it's the mastermind! Always the person you least suspect, huh?"

"Wouldn't Ryoji be a good choice then?" I rebuttaled, "Or maybe..."

"You. Why would we suspect a guy with such a vague talent?" Ryuu shot back, giving me a fair shock, "Not that I want to suspect the people I'm with, but you're associating with a known killer, one who ran this city... You two could make good masterminds together."

Michi stopped to think about it, "Now that you mention it... Kotoko should know extra ways in and out of the city, right? I remember her from my work in criminal law..."

I took a step forward, "I don't know what she knows. It's not a subject I'll broach suddenly..."

Ryuu asked, "So what do you think? Could she be the mastermind?"

"I doubt it. But even if she was..." I made a promise, didn't I? Would I really be able to betray the others to that end, if it was her? No... No. I had to have faith, dammit! Without faith, I was just another tool of Monokuma's, right? I clenched my teeth together, "Well, we'll worry about it later. Speculation will only make us trust each other less."

On that note, we made our way to the elevator. Only one worked; the other had been cut through the top rope by some claws, likely a Monokuma. I glanced down the darkened elevator shaft but couldn't see if it lied at the bottom. Ryuu pressed the button for the working elevator, and it lifted up to greet us. I went in last and pressed the basement button. As we waited, some awful elevator music unsettled us. Only when we finally reached the basement and the doors open did I realize; it was the music for Monokuma Theater... Tasteless...

The basement area was indeed a parking lot, and it was, as predicted, empty. The elevator was next to the other shaft, and I looked inside to find some attendant crushed against the floor of it. But that was another time, another story...

Ryuu looked around, reaching into his pocket for the handbook. He turned on the light section of the map and held it out in front of him like a makeshift flashlight, "Well, it works... Where's the mechanic's office?"

Michi pointed, "I think it's around here somewhere..."

From the elevators, we had a good four hundred feet before we reached the parking area. From there, we saw mostly empty spots, with the occasional leftover car damaged by Monokumas. One didn't seem unsalvageable, but I kept that thought to myself. We eventually found a small door, and opening that led us to the garage and mechanist area. Another doorway that led outside was closed off with the same text, no escape until the trial.

The room had benches, the wooden kind for workshop usage everywhere. Tools littered the walls, from pipe wrenches and screwdrivers to extra spark plugs and welding mask and torch sets.

Ryuu approached one, "This'll work for sealing off ventilation. Not totally, but enough that things won't filter through..."

"Monokuma's a rude headmaster, huh?" Michi commented nonchalantly, inspecting some of the tools on the wall racks.

I grimaced, "Not our headmaster. He's just a sick psychopath with a perverse desire for death and destruction. We'll get out of here. Hope's Peak wouldn't just abandon us."

"Famous last words..." Ryuu said under his breath, "I found what I came for. This stuff is heavy. Naoya, help me carry it back. Then you two can finish your investigation, alright?"

"Sure thing, Ryuu..." I grabbed the mask and the torch, while he carried a canister of the necessary fuel. The three of us made it back to his room and bid him adieu.

"Don't forget to put it back," I reminded him, "Just in case others get a funny idea to accuse you of planning something..."

Ryuu nodded, "Right. Didn't think of that. Once I'm done with this, I just wanted to get back to my game. Honoka's not going to beat herself, right?"

I tilted my head, "Would she like that?"

"Like what?" Kotoko interjected, stepping up beside me, "Naoya, there you are. You left me behind, silly."

"Peace," Ryuu nudged the door closed with his foot and locked it.

Michi asked, "Kotoko, want to join us? We're checking out the upper floors."

Kotoko thought on it, "Nah... I have something I wanted to do since we're trapped here. I've been keeping a diary on my handbook. I'll write in that some more... About... the people here."

"Oh?" Michi walked towards her, "Do you like someone? Is this diary a love confession?"

"Wha-!? Michi, I'm not some girl who'd fall in love so easy!" Kotoko defended herself, "And even if I was, don't say that right now!"

I shrugged, "What's wrong with saying it here?"

Michi sighed, "Nothing, goofball. Let's go find someone else. Akira recommended groups of three."

"Bye, Kotoko. See you later..." I waved to her as she headed upstairs to her room. I was just thankful no one knew she'd come from my room.

Ryoji's voice caught me off guard, "Hey, Naoya... Saw Kotoko on her way out. You know..." he walked up to me and smirked, "From your room."

Michi gasped, "Naoya, is that true!?"

I glared at Ryoji, who shrugged at what would likely be my demise, "You don't respect anything about the code, do you?" I turned my attention to Michi, "Ignore Ryoji. He's seeing things again, trying to start trouble."

Ryoji hated that callout, "I do not make shit up for drama!"

"Then explain to me why you would say that kind of thing out loud, true or not?" I fired back, raising my eyebrow at him.

"I was just curious! I didn't think Michi would hear me!" He argued back, under his breath.

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, the forensic analyst would not hear a confession? Really, mate? Are you cruel or just dumb?"

Ryoji fumed at that, too, "I'm just asking!"

"Then do it in private, you damned fool!" I growled under my breath, "Anyways... You want to join Michi and I to explore or are you going to spout more nonsense?"

"No, I'll be fine. I'll just have a talk with Aya and Hiro..." Ryoji smirked evilly, "About... things and stuff."

I threatened, "Maybe next time Monokuma will use poisonous snakes, you know?"

His face going pale, Ryoji stepped back, "Okay, okay. Enough messing around. I really am going to hang with them, but... No worries. I won't tell."

I sighed in relief, "Thank you, god..."

Narutoya, who was walking by, peered at us from the corner of his eyes, "What about thanking me?"

Ryoji bid us farewell, and Narutoya quickly lost interest when I told him we weren't mentioning him.

Akira walked over, "Teen drama, huh?" She took a drag off of her latest cigarette, "I remember that. What a bunch of bullshit that was..." She folded her arms, "Need a third? I can spot you. Maria's running Taka and Sho through boot camp right now. Trying to reform their damaged spirits."

"Sure thing, Akira," Michi bowed, "Thanks for your help. My investigation will go smoothly with someone as experienced as you on our team."

"If you say so..." Was Akira blushing a little? That was so cute... "We're starting where, exactly?" She tossed her butt away into the trash can.

"Sixth floor. Ryuu stopped us off in the basement area to look for something to weld his ventilation closed," I updated her, "I wanted to ask... Is the layout for the fourth floor the same as ours? You've got soundproof rooms?"

Akira nodded, "Yeah, why?"

I admitted with an annoyed sigh, "Figures... Our rooms, for the guys? Not soundproof. I heard Sho in his room, rocking out to some band I liked in middle school. And the locks on our bathrooms are pretty subpar..." I hated that damn bear, "Like he wants someone else to die in our showers."

Michi wrote that down in her physical notebook, "That might come in handy later, if... Well, if..."

Akira ripped the wound open, "If there's a murder, right? Just say it. We're not stupid," She motioned for the stars, "We going or what?"

The sixth floor was more of what we expected; destroyed bedrooms and corpses all among us. Many were in bed or cowering in closets. Akira was more shaken by this than I expected; every dead child earned another drink from her flask, dulling her own senses to deal with the tragedy of the whole situation.

This reminded me of the great clash of ideologies. How Naegi believed in Hope, believed in sparing others. Munakata, the de facto leader of Future Foundation, all the way until his untimely retirement, held fast that such monsters deserved death.

When I found a little girl clutching her teddy bear in the arms of her dead father, likely having come back here after the children were released from Monaca's control, dying of starvation in his arms, tears long having dried on his shirt, I couldn't tell you what I would have done; who I'd have sided with.

"It's a tragedy, isn't it?"

Our investigation was cut short as the three of us glanced down the hallway towards that man... Shinji.

"You... Monokuma said you escaped..." Akira placed her flask in her pocket, "What are you doing in here? How did you even enter?"

I felt an anger build in me, "You..." I charged towards him, "Why did you leave!? Sheena is dead because of you, you bastard!"

"Good. She deserved it..." Shinji said it coldly, matter-of-factly, "That bitch is why I'm even here... She's the one who brought the mastermind to your little game back to life."

The three of us stood in awe, "What?" Michi asked, her face wrought with confusion.

Shinji folded his arms, "I left to do my own investigation. Turns out there's two masterminds controlling Towa City. One is among you, as suspected... The other is a bitch who should be dead. Junko Enoshima. I overheard them when I listened in. The boss and Monokuma... They were using a voice changer, but Kuma nearly said Junko. The only way that's possible..."

"Sheena..." I realized, "The Ultimate Biologist, seeking to bring someone back from the dead, right? Her sister?"

"Yeah..." He grimaced, "I'm not... from here. You could say I'm here to fix my mistakes."

Akira stepped forward, "Cut the bullshit. Explain. Who are you, and why are you here?"

Shinji leaned up against the wall, "If I told you, you'd never believe me..." We didn't ease up, though, and he gave way, "I'm Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic. An alias for my real title, the Ultimate Arbiter. About two years ago..." He revealed something terrifying, "The class I was in, the true last class for Hope's Peak was involved in a killing game. At least, we should have. And the end result was that all of my friends were killed. By Future Foundation."

The three of us gasped, "What!?" Michi refused to believe it, "But they saved the world! Why would they kill survivors!?"

"Despair..." I answered her, "If Munakata suspected one of them was Despair and couldn't tell... He'd rid the whole world of them."

Michi covered her mouth in horror at the thought.

"Yeah... He did. So I did what I had to do. And I tore that hypocritical Foundation down with my own, bare hands..." Shinji glanced down at the floor, "And using an experimental project by the Academy, I went back in time and... Needless to say, I manipulated some events. Created some alternate timelines."

Akira raised an eyebrow, "Is that even possible?"

Shinji shrugged, "Believe what you will. In the first timeline, the presumably canon one... Future Foundation was torn apart by its real leader, Tengan, in a sick, twisted game. He sought to brainwash the entire world with Hope due to a video he watched, a video created to induce Despair on its victims."

I'd heard rumours about that, of course. That was allegedly what transformed the 77th Class... But could that be true?

"Every one of my friends survived in that world, save for me..." Shinji smiled, "The other me made a brave sacrifice to protect them, and it worked. Timeline 2 would be mine; where I chose to be selfish. That world was lost to Despair, as were many other potential ones... So with the aid of a friend, a girl named Misery, I helped forge this world. The third world..."

Akira tilted her head, just taking this in, "I've heard of Hope's Peak committing crimes in the name of research. Lobotomies, hiding murders... Letting an entire class kill itself and trying to cover it up."

Shinji nodded, "You know your research well, Miss Sanada..." So he knew about us, too. "It was actually Misery who suggested I come here. She worried that our changing the past would affect this world. And oh boy, did it..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, now concerned.

"It's... The final killing game with Future Foundation didn't go as planned this time. In fact, the only casualties being Bandai and Tengan really derailed everything." He sighed, "Because of that, Hope's Peak was rebuilt thanks to Naegi's efforts even faster. But it also left the door open for someone to make this game..."

Michi, who was in the middle of writing all of this down, asked, "So because you disrupted the flow and stopped your killing game in this era..."

"Yes, that is how we disrupted the timeline here. Good assumption, Cheisa."

"That ruined the Final Killing Game, and..." Michi scratched her head, "Somehow that means ours is happening instead?"

Shinji frowned, not a good sign, "I can't definitively say why, but I know your class is currently attending the school in the original timeline. I've never understood this time distortion bullshit either..." He cursed to himself, "We came up with a plan to save you guys, of course, but... Well, I didn't expect my class and myself would be here. That means I can't attack the mastermind or break you out. I can't risk their lives..."

Akira stepped up to him, "So you're going to let us die for friends that are safe in your home timeline?"

"And what would you do?" Shinji refuted her claims, "Save the people you love who died before your very eyes already or go out of your way for strangers that could be killed anyways!?"

Michi grabbed Akira's sleeve, "He's right... If he makes a move, the mastermind amongst us might just take us all out."

Akira bit her lip, "God dammit! So what's your brilliant plan, then!? You're the one who ruined this timeline, who caused all of this!? Why are you meddling again!? Won't that just make it worse!?"

Shinji closed his eyes, "You may be right. I could be making things worse. So what would you suggest? I go home? I abandon you to your fates completely?"

"Wouldn't that be easier for you? Then your friends will be safe," Akira was fired up about his attitude towards all of this. I was reeling; could any of this actually be true?

"That's..." Shinji glanced down at his hands, with vacant eyes, "I've never been one to abandon a stranger in need... and I have a score to settle with Junko. For him, and for the Student Council President..."

Michi asked, "So what will you do now, Shinji? Are you going to stay or...?"

Shinji shook his head, "Monokuma used my escape as an excuse. He likely planned to kill Sheena regardless of my participation. There's too much risk in that loose end." I hated to think that what he was saying was true, but Monokuma... No, Junko had an unfortunate habit of throwing away toys when she was done.

Mukuro's death, the capture of the 77th class... Killing Sheena would be in line with that ideology, alright...

"I'm going to try and do more research on my end. About the mastermind among you, and their plans for this game..." Shinji turned back down the hallway, "I'll report to the three of you when I can. Alright?"

Akira frowned, but nodded, "Understood, Roman-dick."

Shinji laughed, "Hahaha... You remind me of someone..." He walked over to the stairwell to the upper floors, "Stay alive, kids. I won't forgive you otherwise..."

And like that, he ascended the stairs, leaving us in the darkened hallway, the lights around us occasionally flashing on and off due to damage to the building's power output.

Akira, not saying a word, took out her flask and drank the entire remainder of the drink inside. After coughing heavily, she spoke up again, "That was wild... I don't know if we can believe him, but... Well, he didn't seem to be lying. I can normally tell... We should discuss this with the others tonight. But first, our investigation isn't over, right?"

Michi smiled and nodded, "You're right... We won't let anything get us down!"

Akira called out to me, "What about you, Dreamer boy? You hanging in there?"

"I'll be fine, Akira-chan... Thank you, for caring..." Akira put her arm around me, "Huh?"

"You sure? You're one of them sentimental types. Don't go crying later... I'll be here, if you need to talk," She was nicer than I had ever expected. I was glad she was our group leader, "What're you starin' at me for, dumbass!?"

I shook my head, "Sorry, Akira... I was just lost in your eyes..."

Akira groaned, "Nice try. I'm not some loose girl with an alcohol problem."

"Oh... I meant... I was daydreaming... Sometimes I space out..." I felt ashamed I'd phrased it so poorly, "I'm not dumb enough to hit on you..."

"Oh?" Akira gave me a wide grin, "Then maybe grow a backbone and try again..." She gave me a hard noogie before letting me go, "Hahaha! I've forgotten how fun it is to tease younger boys..."

Michi finally stopped racing her pen across the page, "Can we go to the seventh floor now? I've gotten some incredible data for my investigation now..."

Akira waved for us to go right on ahead, and Michi and I walked forward together, "Michi... Thanks for keeping a level head. We've just been through a lot, huh?"

Michi smiled up at me, "I'd do anything for you guys... I've never had friends. Work was always so busy, I never got any time for others my own age... It's why I like Sho so much. He relaxes me... How could I be afraid when he's got such a lackadaisical attitude?"

"You know it's an act, right?" Akira said what I had been thinking, too. Sho acted far dumber than someone of his status and talent could really be; otherwise, he'd have been taken advantage of by everyone in the world of faking to be for non-profit.

"I do... I think he does it for the both of us... To calm me down, and to keep others from targeting him..." Michi chuckled, "Isn't he smart?"

Akira put a finger to her chin, "Sufficiently so... Somewhat suspicious, hiding his true intelligence like that. Is it just to throw killers off?"

Michi pouted, "Don't doubt him! He's been treated poorly enough as it is!"

"True..." I admitted. I had read up on his adventures, "Sho's been through a lot. He's known for his golden heart. Why would he be malicious? That would be a long con..."

"Perhaps..." Akira sighed, "Suspecting each other is wrong, isn't it? Then why do I feel so tense thinking of the others...?"

I assured her, "Akira, do you really believe that one of us is the mastermind? Wouldn't they be putting themselves at risk? And even if Junko is back... Why would any of us work for her? She destroyed our world, our lives..."

Michi nodded, "Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me, either..."

Akira nodded, "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being overly cautious, perhaps... Either way, my concern should be preventing any killings. The mastermind or masterminds can wait."

We finally made it to the seventh floor, which was much of the same. In an outside area, we had a pool that we could stay at.

"This is kinda cool. It's so high up, though. Kind of scary, huh?" I peered over the side and got vertigo, "Shouldn't have done that." I fell to my feet and pushed myself away, "Should not have done that."

Akira laughed, "Your face is pale, Naoya. Afraid of heights or something?"

Michi continued writing down notes in her handbook, excitedly scribbling away over everything she was discovering.

"So does Monokuma keep this pool clean?" I stood up and glanced at it. It wasn't as large as, say, an Olympic one, but it definitely stood out to me as larger than the kind you normally find at hotels.

"Dunno," Akira lit a cigarette up and held it in her mouth before grabbing it with her fingers, "Monokuma!"

Monokuma appeared behind us, chuckling, "Yes, my lovely students?"

Akira turned to face him, "Well? You clean it?"

"I have my Monokuma bots do that for me," Monokuma explained plainly, "They were originally for maintenance, you know? Of course, if you run into them, they might not be too pleased... So don't mess around after nighttime hours, got it?" And he stepped back into the hotel and disappeared from our sight.

Michi wrote that all down, "Fascinating... Learning how this place works is beneficial... But why would he warn us? He wants us dead, right?"

"No..." Akira snarled, "He wants a show. If his precious pets get hurt, he can't have his fun. He doesn't care about our lives."

"Sadly, she's right," I knew it better than anyone else here. Watching Monokuma smirk with delight as he pelted me with baseballs or riding a bike with me and mocking my hair... I had personally experienced the deaths of the 78th class, and I would not forgive that bastard.

Next was the eighth floor. To Akira's welcome surprise, it had a bar. She restocked her flask and browsed the amenities while I sat myself at the counter. Michi continued taking notes of flammables and the locations of items, doing inventory. I guess they were making use of their time better than I was.

What was the meaning to all of this? Shinji's time traveling antics aside, why would we be targeted by Junko? Why wouldn't she just get back at the people that killed her, that defeated her?

Maybe she wanted to hurt Makoto, so she targeted his new students. But why us, why not all of us equally? The life ruining concept... What did it have to do with her? Junko was the one ruining lives, not us... Or was this meant to prove some point on her part? That in the pursuit of our own hope, we selfishly destroyed lives just as she did. That we are, in the end, no better than her.

That could certainly be it, all things considered. I figured we would have to wait and see the first motive before we could truly peer into her mind more. It would be a painful, slow process, but... What else was there for us to do; what other course could we take?

The ninth floor was in ruins as well, but we finally stopped finding bodies. I guess everyone this high up tried to leave in a helicopter; that was Michi's guess, anyways. We didn't say much on this floor and headed to the tenth.

Floor ten was more eventful; it had a huge arcade room with game systems, a huge flat screen television, discs for movies and anime galore; a veritable dream for people like Ryoji or Honoka.

"They'll be psyched to hear about this," Akira laughed, "What do you say, Dreamer boy? Fancy a game before we go?"

"What game?" I asked, somewhat frightened.

Akira thought, "I have myself an idea, a grand one. We'll be back here... Later."

Michi finished up her notes and glanced at me, "You scared, too?"

I nodded, "A little."

The three of us reached the eleventh floor, which was completely blocked off and destroyed.

"This place took a beating... Wonder if the twelfth will be any different." Akira spoke softly, "Better not be any surprises up there."

To our surprise, the twelfth floor wasn't in as bad a shape. Most of the rooms were blocked off or ruined, but we could at least walk through the hallways undeterred. After a short circuit around checking all the doors, we headed to the top floor before the roof, the thirteenth.

The place was nearly spotless in comparison. There were bodies, sure, and blood stains, and overturned beds and notes written by dying civilians, but the walls were fine for once; no giant holes or destroyed flat screens. Just your typical rich people murder.

I guess Towa Hotel rented you a better room the more money you had. What an interesting, unsafe for the rich system. Sucks to be them, I chuckled to myself. That's what you get for abusing capitalism when the world ends. Murdered by a smiling spastic serial killing bear who makes crappy puns.

We didn't find anything terribly interesting, so we headed all the way back down to our rooms.

As I walked into my room, I realized I still had time for our meeting tonight.

 ***Free Time Engage***

I got back to my room, but it was still not that late in the day. I could easily hang out with someone before I had to do something else.

 ***Free Time Engage***

I glanced at the clock on my wall. It was finally time for our evening meeting. I sighed, thinking what would happen when Akira and I related to the others the information Shinji had given us; whether they'd believe it, or trust him, or us for that matter. It wasn't going to be a fun experience.

"Whut?" Ryuu slurred the word in his surprise, "But whaaaaat?"

Ryoji ignored him, "You can't seriously expect us to believe-"

"No one cares," Maria talked over Ryoji, "She's not going to lie to us. Especially over something so far-fetched. It's clear that Shinji's a psychopath of sorts."

"Is he, though?" I surmised my thoughts, "Say he was crazy; why, then, does his explanation make a modicum of sense? He did seem to exhibit knowledge of both us and our captors. How would he know either without prior information? He never spoke with us, right?" No one talked, "He just hid in his room and fled. But he knows Akira's name, her last one, even. Which we never call her by."

Akira confirmed, "It's true. More then just that... Say the mastermind is a participant... He means the original sixteen. He said one of us, and then one outside... Even if he was the one of us, or the one outside, or both, why put us on guard?" No one spoke up, "If he was working with one of us, he wouldn't have sold them out, right?"

Hiro jumped up from his seat, unamused, "Maybe he's batshit crazy, like every other Despair out there!"

"The Despairs tricked everyone, right? Why would he be so blatantly suspicious, then? He could have just hid amongst us, earned our trust, and betrayed that trust," Taka took the floor, answering reasonably, "Instead, he opted for this."

Ryoji shrugged, "I think Hiro might be right. Dude's nuts..."

Michi said nothing, just giving him a look of disapproval.

Akira slammed her flask down on the table, stealing all of our attention, "Okay, then let's dismiss every single thing he said. Let's pretend it's all fake. What did the rest of you figure out, today?" No one said a word, some averting her gaze, "Oh, look. You're all as useful as an asexual using sex toys, you know that?"

Honoka interjected, "Just because they don't desire said feelings doesn't mean they're literally incapable of feeling them."

"Why do you know that?" Ryuu asked, a sweat bead forming down the side of his face in worry.

"It's my job to understand sexuality," Honoka reassured him, "And traps are gay."

Narutoya coughed loudly, gathering our attention, "Enough of the peanut gallery. Why don't we have the hero here announce his discovery?"  
Akira groaned, expecting this kind of buffoonery, "What is it this time!?"

"I just thought you all might enjoy to know of the pool on the seventh floor, the arcade and entertainment center on the tenth, a bar on the eighth... Monokuma has provided plenty of amenities for so-called prisoners," He smirked, "He must understand my particular needs."

Kicho puffed her cheeks out, "What you need is a mental diagnosis for your God complex."

Narutoya adjusted his shades, "One must not be jealous of divine favor. Not all are chosen ones, after all."

Sho scratched his head, his feet up on the table, "So uh... I'm lost. What do we do now?"

"I recorded quite a bit of information. I'll leave a set of notes in my room," Michi answered, "Oh, Kojiro?" The tired looking officer glanced up at her, "I took your advice. And I wanted to inform the others." Kojiro sighed and nodded, "Just in case, we shouldn't keep our room keys on us at all times. The mechanic's area has stuff to make copies... Monokuma's idea, likely. If someone steals our key..."

Hiro bluntly said, "We'll get murdered in our sleep by the mastermind. Or at least a punk..." He glared at Taka when he said that.

Aya nudged him hard in the chest, "Stop antagonizing people."

Kicho sighed and drank from her tea cup, "What a horrible situation. If we can't cooperate just talking, how would we ever survive a trial?"

"There won't be any," Kojiro stood up, brandishing a pistol on his person, "I'm armed. I will not tolerate anything from any single person here. I will not hesitate. Do you understand?" We remained in silence, "Do you understand!?"

We replied in unison, some half-heartedly, "Yes..."

Kojiro let his hand fall to the side, "Don't forget. I'd hate to go down from killing someone like you kids..."

Shiori pulled on his sleeve, "Even me, Kojiro?"

"Shiori..." he knelt down in front of her, "My assistant doesn't have to worry about that. I trust at least you not to kill." He patted her head, "Like you'd be smart enough to get away with it."

"H-hey!" Shiori pouted, but he laughed at her reaction, causing her to smile despite herself.

Maria was eating another chicken leg when she asked, "So... Do we believe him or not?"

Akira took another small drink from her flask, "That's up to all of you. That being said... If Monokuma wants us to kill, we have to combat his methods. That means bein' friendly with each other. And I've got just the idea..."

"No..." Narutoya quickly headed to the doorway, "Whatever you have in mind isn't fit for me."

"Hard for anything to fit with a guy whose ass is impaled by every stick in the town..." Akira chastised him curtly, "Any other losers?"

No one else took up that title, "What is it?" Taka asked meekly.

Akira just grinned evilly, "Floor ten, tomorrow night. All of you for a special meeting. Be prepared, and... Well, don't be a fuckin' coward."

I gulped. That sounded awful.

*ding dong, bing bong*

Monokuma's face appeared on the screen above our table, delivering his nightly announcement, "It is now 10 PM! As such, it is the designated night time! Be aware; maintenance Monokumas roam the upper floors at night. I'd recommend not fighting them; even if you do win, that's more work for the rest of you!"

We sighed, and one by one, the others left the room. All except Kotoko, who sat alone at her place beside me, quiet and unmoving.

"Kotoko, are you alright?"

She wasn't happy in the slightest; she looked down, "I didn't feel well... If Shinji's telling the truth... Doesn't that mean we're going to be torn apart, one by one?" She glanced down at her pink nails, "To think I'd face the same fate I once dealt the demons... It's an ironic, poetic ending, huh?"

"I'm not letting anything happen to you."

"Come on, Naoya. I know you like to sound cool in front of girls you like but-"

I grabbed her shoulder, "It's not bravado, Kotoko. I... I pledge my life to protect yours. I mean that..."

Kotoko gazed upon my face, examining my expression, trying to comprehend the words, the promise I was making, "But I'm... I've done enough. I couldn't live with myself if you went down for me..."

"Then don't get knocked down," I offered her my hand, to her surprise, "Fight by my side. We'll survive together, no matter the odds."

"With all the death flags you just raised, you know one of us is dying first, right?" She laughed at her own sick joke, "Then promise me one thing."

I had a feeling I already knew, "Shoot."

Kotoko pleaded, "Please... If... If something does happen to me... Just... Live. That's all."

"I expected as much..." I decided to tease her back, "Way to trigger your death flags. I'll live on for your memory. That much I can promise."

We shook on it.

"Well, I should get back to my room..." Kotoko stood up and started for the stairwell.

I asked, "You could stay with me, if you want? I don't mind."

She turned, sticking her tongue out at me, "Yeah, right... Don't get any funny ideas! I won't forgive you if you mess up!"

"Uh..." I was confused. "Oh... I get it. No, it's fine. I didn't mean to sound like I was hitting on you."

Kotoko sighed, covering her face with her hands, "You're kinda dumb, huh?" She did a 180 and began climbing the stairs, "Night, Naoya the Baka."

As she left me in the dining hall, I wondered why she'd changed tonally so fast. From wanting me to live on for her to calling me names... Girls, huh?

They say if you just talk to them, you'll understand them. But hell... I can barely understand my own self. Why did I insist on throwing myself on the pyre for her?

My life isn't worth being a shield, even...

I bit my lip and returned to my room, weary, both mentally and physically.

As I laid down in my bed, I peered over at my handbook and my room key. Hide them off my person, huh?

I sighed again, tracing lines in the ceiling. Why us? That's something Shinji never explained... We had classmates, so why the life ruining bit, too? I guess it made for a more interesting game, but was that the goal of our captor?

"Why don't I understand it...?" I rolled over to my side and found a single pink hair on my pillow. I smiled to myself as it blew out of my hands from the fan I'd turned on.

No matter what happens here, some things remain the same. Our pasts, our failures, or successes... And our emptiness.

My smiling form was not one of joy, but of pity; a mask to hide my own hopelessness. This game might not even be about Despair and Hope... but that made it all the more painful.


	24. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Day Three

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil-Daily Life**

 **Day Three**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

 ***ding dong bing bong***

"Ahem, Hope's Peak's Executive Committee has an announcement to make! We hope you enjoy our varying announcements! Isn't it better when you can't predict what I'll say!?" Monokuma's smug face appeared on the many monitors throughout the city once more, "Wake up, everyone! It is now 7 AM! You have five minutes to get your butts in gear!"

Five minutes passed. I had dressed, fixed my hair, brushed my teeth, all the usual stuff. Monokuma came on again, just as he promised, "Sho, Sho, Sho... Dropping a ceiling fan in three, two, one!"

I heard the clang of plastic and a shout coming from down the hall. Damn these non-soundproof walls.

"As for Ryoji, in the shower... Hope you like the cold. And Ryuu? Good choice, sealing the ventilation shaft. If only your bed didn't rotate... Whoops, did I set it to max?" Monokuma laughed hysterically before disappearing.

Why did he even bother to fuck with us? If I went to bed right now, he'd let me. What was his deal? Was it seriously someone like Junko in control?

I didn't have time to think about it. I was going to make the most of today!

 ***Free Time Engage***

Upon returning to my room at noon, I had a slight snack before readying up to bother someone else.

 ***Free Time Engage***

It was around 3 when I returned. That one had really taken the wind out of me. Maybe I could sleep? Nah, waste of time...

 ***Free Time Engage***

Finally, it was night time. I shuddered. What exactly did Akira have in plan for us poor souls?

I decided there was nothing to do but resign myself to fate. I arrived at the tenth floor to little fanfare. The others had all already gathered, music was playing from some speakers, and Akira had set up drinks, both alcoholic and legal for us to drink. We had some other snacks to enjoy, so I stuffed away some pocky, just in case I wanted to eat something when I'm down.

Like he'd promised, Narutoya was the only one missing. I knew he'd be fine; no way would he trust one of us enough to get killed first. He was kind of a dick, so he got a free pass.

After a few minutes, Akira noticed we were all together and brought a fork to her wine glass, garnering our rapt attention, "We all here!? The first celebratory meeting of the 83rd class begins now..." Akira popped some streamers.

Maria held one too, but since she was a little tipsy, she missed and it bounced off the side of Ryoji's head. "Oww! That hurt!"

"Idiots..." Akira muttered, "Ignoring that, we're here to play a game. Now, I haven't played this since I was your age, so... Who's ready for some truth and dare action?"

Not a single person even remotely seemed enthused.

Akira stomped her foot, "Where's your sense of adventure!? Huh!? Girls, don't you enjoy the thought of ripping the truth from these bastards?"

She was pointing at us, the guys, on the left side, "Hey, that's..." We only had seven to begin with, since Narutoya flaked.

"And guys!? Really!? Imagine the dares you could give any one of these beautiful ladies, even me!" Akira boasted, showing off her cleavage with a wink.

Hiro folded his arms, "I can see the wrinkles from here."

Akira floored him so fast with a kick to the chest, we didn't see him hit the door and crash to the floor.

Ryuu, pulling a microphone from his pocket, announced, "K! O!" He pointed to Akira, "You win! Perfect!"

"So, you going to play nice or just lie on the ground?" Akira mocked Hiro, putting her heel right on his head, "Eh?"

Hiro nodded, cringing in pain.

Akira smirked, "Any others needing convincing?" The way she glared at us, we knew better.

The fourteen of us were rounded up on two sides of the floor; Akira was sitting in a seat at the far end, "Obviously, we understand this game, right?" We nodded, "I'd rather the king's Game, but... Well, not all of you were willin' to drink... So, this'll work just fine. This is for our bonding. So who knows what kind of sides we'll see to each other tonight..."

Kojiro grunted, "But why waste our time?"

"Because, mister gruff, if we learn to like each other, we might be able to resist the motives he throws our way. Get it?"

"Still... I'm feeling too old for this..." Kojiro sighed, "Who's starting us off?"

Akira mused, "The rules have to be stated first. This is an elimination game. One strike, you're out. The winning team, whether it be boys or girls, get bragging rights. As for the losers, the later on you lose, the worse the punishment is... But that will come when one of you sits out. And obviously, I'm playing for both teams, since that bastard flaked..."

"Will there be lewd things?!" Honoka exclaimed, huffing in excitement, "I'm game for that, just bring it on!"

"That's not up to me... I'll choose someone innocent. Shiori. You go." Akira gave her the ultimate power, "Choose a guy, ask the question, and see who has the greatest fortitude amongst us!"

Ryoji groaned, "This is gonna suck..."

Honoka winked, "More than just the game will, I'm sure..." Ryoji shuddered, terrified of whatever things Honoka was fantasizing about.

Shiori pointed to Kojiro, "Truth or Dare?"

Kojiro groaned, "Dare."

"Dare you to make me your assistant when we get out of here!" Shiori immediately capitalized on her dream.

"And I'm out," Kojiro stood up, shaking his head, "I'm not intending to play these games. Just give me my light punishment and-" He dropped to the floor when Akira dropkicked him.

Akira sighed, addressing her shirt collar, "I hate poor sports. Shiori, choose again."

Shiori asked, "Akira? Truth or dare?"

Akira grinned, "Dare."

"Don't kick anyone... Okay?" She glanced over at Kojiro, who was opting not to move, "That looks really painful..."

"Tch, that it? This'll be a cinch," She turned her attention on a hapless player, "Taka, truth or dare."

Taka sweated a little, "Truth."

Akira asked without hesitation, "Do you regret it? Killing the people in your school?"

That was when it clicked for me. She was smarter than I thought. She was playing this game as an excuse to dig us for information. Anything else that happened would be for her amusement, but she had effectively mixed work and pleasure for an evil cocktail of pain and tears. She could be the mastermind, I joked to myself.

"Honestly? Yeah, of course I do..." He sighed, "I... It didn't bring her back. Satsuki... she shut down. Ended up in a hospital, not talking, moving, eating. They had to hook her up to IVs... I told her what I did, but she didn't even move..." Taka sniffed, "That's... Kicho, truth or dare?"

Kicho calmly answered, drinking from her teacup, "Starting with truth, dear."

Taka struggled to think of something, "Why do you bug Narutoya? You know him?"

Biting her lip, Kicho drank, "I do. He and I started the telemarketing business he works at together."

"Woah, really?" Sho glanced up, intrigued, "You worked with a guy like that? You know he's... His last company was shut down for being corrupt, right?"

"He wasn't involved," Kicho held firm, "I believed in him, and he had the Board of Directors fire me, the CEO. A snake in the grass, he turned out to be..." She folded her arms, frowning, an unusual thing for her to do, "I can't say I don't have a bit of antipathy for the man. Hiro, truth or dare?"

Hiro stood up, showing off his built muscles, "Dare! Just try me!"

Kicho scoffed, "Oh, that confident? Beat Aya in a game of soccer."

Glancing at Aya, who waved to him, excited for the challenge, Hiro shook his head, "That's me down. Sorry, guys..."

Akira chuckled, "Then your punishment is to play her anyways."

Hiro angrily glared at her but gave in, "Yeah, whatever... Let's go, Aya-chan! You and me, on the roof!"

Aya easily dribbled past him and scored without much effort. Hiro hung his head in shame and joined Kojiro on the eighth floor. The bar was the loser's bench, as Akira explained to us.

"The boys aren't looking too good right now..." Kicho grinned, "Sho, truth or dare?"

Sho shrugged, "Like... Truth, dude."

Kicho wondered for a moment, before settling on the cruelest but simplest answer, "I see you have become quite attached to Michi of late." Michi, sitting next to her blushed, "I could ask whether you like her, but that's not much fun. Does her body excite you?"

"Totally... I'd do her..." Sho answered casually, an unbreakable wall of Sho-ness... "Shiori, truth or dare?"

Shiori deliberated on answering, her arms folded, "I guess... Dare?"

Sho nodded, "Uh... Heh. Join our team."

Shiori glanced to Akira, who shrugged, "I didn't say that's not allowed... Shit, should have, though..." She eventually said, "No reusing dares, then. Otherwise, team hopping will get stupid crazy."

Shiori sat between me and Ryoji, who didn't say much. From how he was sweating, he dreaded his first turn. Makes sense. Lord knows if Akira got a hold on him what she'd make him do...

"Honoka?" Shiori asked reluctantly.

Honoka nodded, "Truth will set me free."

Shiori thought for a moment, "Who here would you want to make a game about the most?"

Honoka's eyes widened, "Ooh~, a great question... Normally, I write from the perspectives of victims or harem protagonists... That being said, I need someone with a lack of an established personality who can model for about anyone..." She thought on it, "For the girls, definitely Akira. Seeing a girl like her, broken spirit, glaring hatefully up at me... The thought is just delightful... But for the boys..." She glanced over us.

"I feel unsafe..." Taka whispered to Ryuu, who worriedly nodded.

Honoka eventually settled a finger on me, "You. Naoya-kun is... A good fit," she said that so provocatively, I felt molested by her already, "He's nice, not exceptionally smart or good-looking or stand out. He lacks an awesome talent, and he's edgy enough to be emo and light enough to be a slice of life kind of guy," She chuckled, "That's my choice, too! Naoya, truth or dare?"

The other guys sighed in relief, the selfish bastards.

"Dare..." Ryuu and Ryoji gave me looks of fear, of pity, and a little bit of curiosity as to what she'd do to me.

"I don't want all the boys out of the game too early..." Honoka narrated her plans, "Then I can't... enjoy their reactions. I dare you to... Hrm... I know!" She slammed her fist into her open palm, "You can voice my new protagonist! Obviously, not right now, but I'll hold you to it!"

I shrugged, "Okay?"

Akira sighed, "Figures. Choose something we can't enjoy here. Just ruin my game some more, why don't you?"

"Michi, truth or dare?" I had already settled on my battle plan. Our goal was to eliminate the other team. The faster I did that, the faster we could escape this nightmare.

Michi stuttered, "Tr-truth!"

I got her, "What did you think when Sho described how he felt about you? Was it... good news?"

Blushing crazily, Michi jumped up, "I-I give!"

Akira nodded, "Not surprised. You get to walk; you at least tried."

Michi nodded and left us, the final twelve. The lights seemed to focus on us in that moment, like a gameshow.

"Aya, truth or dare," I turned my attention to her, considering her the other easy out.

Aya chuckled, "I see. Truth."

I thought, "Who's your least favorite person here?" Aya was a nice person, so I felt this might break her, "Excluding the losers, who here is your least favorite."

She grappled with the thought, "Sadly, Taka. I don't dislike him per se, but his past... It's hard to just forget."

"I get it..." Taka hung his head in shame but tried to sound strong, "I'm a monster..."

Aya turned her attention to Shiori, "Truth or dare, Tojiko-chan!"

Tojiko thought carefully, "Dare."

"Rejoin our team. That's different from asking to switch, right?" Akira nodded, "Nice..."

As Shiori once again rejoined the girls, she focused on Ryoji, "Hey, Ryoji. Truth or dare?"

Ryoji smiled, "Dare. I think I can trust you."

Honoka moved to whisper evil thoughts to her, but Ryuu objected, "Hey, no cheating!"

Shiori asked, "A dare, huh? And we want to win... Hrm..." Finally, she realized, "Ryoji... You should prank Ryuu! Throw a spider on him!"

Ryuu pointed to Ryoji instantly, "They'll never find the body. Of the spider, or you."

Ryoji sighed, "Figures... I'm out."

Shiori then turned to Ryuu, "Truth or dare."

"Truth," Ryuu replied, not willing to show weakness to her. She had already eliminated two of us by then.

"Have you ever played Honoka's bestselling game?" Tojiko's normally cheerful demeanor changed rapidly, "What was it called... Oh, right. A Girl I'd Go to Prison For."

Ryuu shook his head, "Uh... No. I have not. I've only tested her older works so far."

Color returned to her cheeks, "Oh, good. Don't play that one."

Honoka glanced sideways at her, an uncomfortable expression on her face.

Ryuu picked up on that change of tone, "Shiori, truth or dare?"

Shiori smiled, as if acting like she was totally fine, "Truth, Ryuu."

"Why do you care about that game in particular?" Ryuu might have meant it to learn about her, but the way her smile fell hurt even me.

"I'll withdraw, now..." Shiori jumped in, faking a smile, "I tried my best, though..."

Akira noticed her walking to the table, "Shiori, those are the alcoholic..." Shiori grabbed an entire bottle of vodka and chugged the damn thing on her way out, "Fuckin' hell..."

Ryuu focused on Kicho," Truth or Dare."

Kicho thought on it, giving her opponent a wary gaze, "Dare."

"I dare you to tell us everything embarrassing about Nobunaga... I mean all the deets." Ryuu was playing hardball now, taking advantage of our opponents' prescribed weaknesses to systematically destroy them.

"I wouldn't betray his trust... I'm better than that. Better than... him..." Kicho's eyes were vacant when she choked that out, "I resign."

Ryuu immediately turned on Aya," Truth or dare."

Aya stuttered, "Uh, you're really into this now... Truth."

"What's the craziest fantasy you've had about another person?" Ryuu knew what he was doing alright, "And I mean explicit details. What you did, what they did..."

"And like that, I'm gone," Aya left the room at lightning speed.

Akira drank from her flask, "Well, we have a smart guy here. Least I can rely on Maria to crush you..."

Ryuu took that as a challenge, "Maria, truth or dare?"

Maria, still tipsy, geared herself, "Dare, four-eyes. I'll show you I'm stronger than them city girls."

"Never drink again..." Ryuu grinned, knowing he'd won.

"You fuckin' cheater mate... I'll knock you out, swear on me mum..." Maria actually took a swing for him crashing into the nearest couch instead.

Akira checked her for a moment, "Out like a light. We'll consider that her withdrawal."

Ryuu turned his attention to the last two girls besides Akira, weighing his options, "Kotoko, truth or dare."

Kotoko smiled, as if whatever he planned would have no effect, "Truth."

"What was your favorite part tearing apart this city?" Honoka's eyes widened, and Taka and Sho both showed looks of concern, "Warrior of Hope, the fighter, Kotoko Utsugi!" Ryuu struck a pose, objecting to Kotoko's presence there with an extended hand, "Killer of demons! How many people did you kill, enjoying it all the while!?"

I grabbed Ryuu's arm, "Really!? Is now the time?!"

Ryuu escaped my grasp, "Of course! Akira set this up to test us, right!? So why not get that out in the open... Kotoko, you killed people. You know this city like the back of your hand. You could very well be the mastermind, too."

"Dude, that's not-"

He stopped me, "Relax. I waited until the others were out. It could have been much worse..." He focused on Kotoko, still smiling, as if blissfully unaware of his callout, "So, Kotoko? What was your favorite memory from this entire murderfest you committed?"

Kotoko tilted her head, grinning, "Really wanna know? A powerful third was killing my mother. Watching her bleed more than I ever did was quite satisfying. She had a hairy cage around her heart. But I peeled her cold heart open!" She said this, smiling, creeping even me out, "But want to know what I liked better?"

"What?" Ryuu seemed ready to take whatever she had to say, but he definitely looked unnerved. Shit was mad fucked, yo.

"When I got to kill pretentious, entitled little shitstains like yourself..." Ryuu's hands clenched, "You see, I was a criminal. I did some horrible things..." She laughed, "But I didn't cover for a serial killer to get his money." Ryuu gasped, though he tried to hide it, "I know what you did, Mister Nomoya. Covering for Hayato like that? How tasteless..."

Ryuu started to sweat, "You're lying! Hayato was cleared, the police themselves-"

Kotoko ignored him, "The police can be bought. Like you, right?" Ryuu glanced to the floor, "Using his money for your own selfish needs... You're like a lady of the night, but much less attractive... How do you feel, knowing he made victims just like your little girlfriend?"

"What!?" Ryuu yelled now, triggered by her attacks, "Why do you..."

"Nagisa did research on you all for me," She grinned, "What, think I'd show up here unprepared?" She showed a page from her handbook, "See, right here. Ryuu loves a coma girl. He let people get raped and murdered to use his partner's money. What kind of awful person turns a blind eye to such evil?" Kotoko dropped her act, "The same that let me suffer. The only thing worse than an evil psychopath is the selfish bastards that let us be created."

She pointed at Ryuu, "Narutoya, he's chump change; compared to your greed. Wanting to save a girl you met face to face once for what, a relationship? There are other girls. But you let people die. So get off your high horse, whether it's named Hugo or Magnus or Smough, and catch up to us in the real world, okay?"

Well, fuck.

"You don't understand... anything about me!" Ryuu stomped his foot onto the floor, "I loved her, god damn you! I'd have done anything for her!"

"Even what Taka did?" Taka looked ashamed at the mention of his act, "Or what I did?" Kotoko pressured him further. She had been waiting for this; waiting for him to target her. She was out for blood, "I'll answer you now. The moment I felt the most euphoric... was when I killed Goro Himura."

My eyes widened; my heart stopped. The entire world slowed, the noise filtered out. All that existed was me and her, her words, and my cognition of them.

Kotoko continued, her speech a soliloquy that only I was there for, "He came to me. Told me his son lived a life of guilt. He dreamed of my pain, my suffering. And like a coward, he hid that from me. He let it happen, just like you did." I felt pain in my heart. I fell to my knees, grasping at the sides of my head as sweat poured, "So when Goro told me he came to Towa to beg for forgiveness on his behalf... I laughed. How ridiculous is that!? How could a parent... love their child so much...? It confused me, it enraged me... So I killed him, but I made him bleed first. But he never begged for mercy; or for a quick death. He just kept repeating... 'Forgive my son. If you don't, he'll never smile again. And as a parent, that kills me inside. I let his mother down; don't let me fail again!' The entire time, he cried for Naoya. And I ended his life. And it felt... fantastic."

I screamed in agony. That was what wrought me from that darkened cold place of my own mental state I'd created for myself, like I was underwater. I heard Akira shout out to me. But I just remained silent.

Dad... He...

His death was more my fault than I could have ever... anticipated... And she enjoyed killing him!? This was the monster I'd sworn to protect!?

Kotoko's voice brought me back to reality, "Ryuu, truth or dare."

"Does it matter?" Ryuu spoke, sounding broken, "You won. You proved me a hypocrite. There's no point to this..." Ryuu walked out, in a mix of anger, of frustration, of helplessness, of guilt, of regret and sadness all mixed inside of his heart.

I finally stood up. Taka and Sho gave me worried glances. Honoka and Akira were silent. Kotoko stood across from me, gauging my reaction, waiting for me to respond.

"Sho, truth or dare?"

Sho refused, "Are you kidding me? After what you just..."

"Forfeiting?" Kotoko turned to Taka, "And you? Will you hand us girls the victory?"

Taka grimaced, "I can't believe you... This isn't a game anymore! You're a fucking monster!"

Kotoko tilted her head, "But Ryuu told you that. Right?"

"I've had it..." Taka walked out, shoulders slumped, the life drained from him.

Sho turned to me and patted me on the shoulder, "If you need to talk..." He gave me an uncharacteristically serious offer, "I'll always be there, man."

Kotoko focused her attention on me, "Naoya, you're all that's left, huh? Truth or Dare?"

"Truth..." I said, broken, defeated. Akira was surprised I even responded.

"Do you hate me now?" Kotoko asked, that sense of uncertainty firmly there. Why did she care? Why would she expect me not to!?

I struggled to speak for the longest time, as we waited. When she started to ask, my courage found me, "Hate you? You killed my father; no, you tortured him. You created a world where I'm responsible for both of my parents' deaths. But you know what? That just means I ruined my own life..." That was the conclusion I came to, "I'm why you suffered. I couldn't convince my mom to trust and believe in me, a child."

I remember her last words clearly, 'I'll be extra careful, okay honey?'

"And my inability to accept my own cowardice took my father..." And his last words. 'When I get back, we'll be a family again. That's all I wanted, Naoya. For us to be like when... when your mother was here.'

I fell to my knees, "I know now more than ever... That I am indebted to you. Not just for your sake, but for my own justice..." I theorized, "You did this on purpose. To get me to hate you, so I'd abandon you. So I'd let you die."

She stepped back as I approached her, walking slowly and calmly, hands in my pockets, "H-hey..."

I wrapped my arms around her and held her, "I won't abandon you. I promised. Even if you hurt me, even if you kill me... I won't let you go."

Kotoko pushed me sharply, knocking me cleanly off of my feet, "You... you idiot! I don't want your help! I don't need you! I don't like you! I just wanted you gone! You're a loser; you're a cowardly bastard!" She kicked me in the side roughly, "I'd never want to help a guy like you stay alive! You're just too pathetic to die for me... So why don't you just give up and die already!?" She kicked me again, harder, tears forming in her eyes, "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" Every time she repeated that, she kicked me. But each was weaker, with less force than the last.

"Kotoko..." Akira stepped forward, prepared to intervene on my behalf, bless her heart, "Cease and desist!"

"Stay away from me! You disgust me!" Kotoko spat on my face, "You're a worthless, dumb, stupid loser who is totally not adorbs! You're a wannabe hero loser who watched too many Featherman Rangers! Get lost!" And she ran from the room, leaving me clutching my side in pain.

As I said last night, I'll say so again. The fuck was up with girls?

Akira stepped over to me and lifted me up off of my side, "Are you alright? That was... quite a spectacle..." She handed me her flask, and I downed the entire thing, "Damn... What do you intend to do?"

"I'm going to keep my promise..." I turned my attention to them, "Akira, truth or dare?"

"Oh?" Akira raised an eyebrow, "You want to keep playing?"

I asked again, "Truth or dare?"

Akira stared me down, confident in her abilities, "Dare."

"Honoka?" She focused attention on me, "We have our main heroine. You need to record our voices, right?"

Honoka grinned, "Oooh... that's kinky. How do you want to go about this?"

I turned to Akira, "I dare you to help me produce the material she needs. You up for that?"

Akira gave me a fiery expression, "You think you can keep up? I'm up for more than 'just' voice acting this..."

Honoka's face turned a bright red and she passed out.

"Hah... Figures," Akira walked over to her unconscious form, "She's mostly talk, huh?"

I shrugged, "Can we tie? I think we both survived a serious amount of bullshit, today."

Akira laughed, "Sure, sure. But I do expect a real Dare. Not something to antagonize her."

"A real... dare?" I squeaked.

"Yeah..." She got right up in my grill, "See... I'm feeling pretty daring after all that. And you took the brunt of that abuse... Maybe you need a little TLC, huh?"

I blushed crazily, fearful of her intentions. She walked towards me, and as I heard the Monokuma night time announcement, I realized that monsters other than Monokuma roamed these halls.


	25. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Day Four

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil-Daily Life**

 **Day Four**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

 ***ding dong bing bong***

"Ahem, Hope's Peak's Executive Committee has an announcement to make! I wonder how many of you stayed up crying... I mean, not that I enjoy your suffering... Upupupu!" Monokuma's smug face appeared on the many monitors throughout the city once more, "Wake up, everyone! It is now 7 AM! You have five minutes to get your butts in gear!"

Ryuu, Sho, and Ryoji rushed down the hallway towards the kitchen and dining hall, fighting to get as far from a Monokuma trap as possible.

I sighed. No one else, except Taka and Sho, of course, knew of the events that transpired with Kotoko. I wanted to talk to Ryuu, to try and help him feel better.

Akira sat up next to me, clutching her head, "How much did I drink...? Fuck me..."

"I mean... I may have..." She turned to me and her eyes widened, "Did you forget?"

"Well, shit. Guess I've gotta take responsibility now, huh princess?" She joked, running her hand through my hair, "I..."

I noticed she wasn't talking normally, "Akira, something wrong?"

Akira nodded, "Yeah, kid... Yeah. What I... What we... I feel like I forced your hand on that one. I can't remember it all, but I'm vaguely aware of leading you on..." She got up and started to dress herself, "This isn't... We can't do this sort of thing here. We'd be targeted for it. And even if we wouldn't, you'd never... Well..."

I didn't know what to say to her. The truth was that I didn't dislike Akira; I enjoyed the times we spent. But what just happened, it was sudden and... Perhaps the alcohol had stronger effects on us than we thought? Who knows...

A knock on the door stole my attention before Honoka stepped inside, "Hey, how did..." She looked from Akira's mostly dressed form to mine, "Ohoho. I see my special drink worked."

"Special... drink?" Akira asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing. I just switched out your flask with my own during the evening. It had a special brew I'd made. I designed it to entice the more natural parts of ourselves..." She chuckled, "Guess it worked.

Akira gripped her flask, hard, "Did you slip us an aphrodisiac...?"

Honoka waved her hand, "No, no! I'd never... It's not registered as one yet, anyways... Besides, it couldn't have been all that bad, right?"

"If I didn't like the kid, I'd execute you where you stand," Akira warned, "Don't pull anything like that again. Even if it's on a couple, I won't tolerate it."

"But it worked... You guys would make a great couple... for my game, anyways."

Akira sighed, "Still hung up on that? Of course you are... Get out of here!"

Honoka frowned, "But, Akira-"

"Go!" Honoka ran from the room, "Damn pervert... Now I know." Akira put on the last of her clothes and headed to the door, "Do any of these people think about the risks their pranks bring about?"

I decided to speak my mind, "Akira... I'm sorry. That she, that we... You know."

Akira pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it, flashing me a sly smirk, "It was good for me. I missed that sensation... But forget about all of this. You and I, not happening. This was a once in a lifetime kind of thing. Don't waste your love on an old girl like me..." And with that, Akira left the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

The breakfast meeting was awkward. Sho listened to Michi gush about her recent findings, while Honoka scribbled in her notebook, drawing yaoi. Akira wouldn't look me in the eye, Kotoko didn't even bother to show up, and Taka looked like he hadn't slept at all, his shirt stained with presumably tears.

The awkward silence persisted. No one wanted to speak, not even Ryoji, who silently drank tea and stared at a small magazine Aya was skimming through for the sports articles. It was a magazine with Hiro on the cover, surprisingly.

"Wow, did someone die in here?" Monokuma had appeared at the end of the dining hall table, a frown on his face, "Damn, I used that joke before. Still... None of y'all are dead! What's the hold up!?"

We all gave him some form of dissatisfied look.

Then Narutoya spoke, "You presume they can gather the courage or the intelligence to commit such a crime."

"Then why don't you do it, jackass!?" Hiro shouted at him, "Instead of talking down to everyone like a damned narcissist!"

Kicho pleaded, "Hiro, just stop. Arguing with him- no, even acknowledging his behaviour feeds his ungodly ego."

"Monokuma, you've come to present a motive, yes?" Narutoya's question united us in a single hatred towards this pompous douche, "I'm excited to experience what creative plots you've formed for us today."

Monokuma laughed in that familiar, mind-grating way, "Creative? Nah. I've come with an ultimotive. An Ultimatum motive!" Monokuma grinned, "As you may know, there's probably a serial killer among you. It's coming with the territory in these games that one of you killed a bunch of people." He looked over at each of our faces.

"Yeah, so?" Hiro dismissed the thought with ease, "We have a mass killer, too. Not that surprising."

"Haven't any of you noticed something different?" None of us spoke up, and he grinned, "Check your ankles."

Reluctantly, we did so, only to be surprised at what we found. A small bracelet was wrapped around our ankle, so tight that we couldn't make it budge, but just loose enough we never noticed.

Monokuma grinned, "I used sleeping gas last night to help you stay asleep. And we added our new rule!"

Narutoya checked his, and his handbook beeped, "Oh? An additional rule..."

"That's correct," Monokuma began explaining this fucking nonsense, "Each of you had a vice that led you to ruin another's life. This extra rule ensures you'll repent. Ignore the rule given to you at the beginning of every trial cycle, and you'll be poisoned immediately!" He sounded so ecstatic about our premature demise.

"And it's different for us all?" Narutoya asked for a clarification.

Monokuma continued, "So follow that rule or get poisoned. Try to remove that armband, get poisoned. You'll have objectives to complete or rules to follow, and all are meant to be challenging and intriguing. So just know that time is valuable, and... Your lives will be forfeit if you attempt to circumvent this game!" He brandished his claws threateningly.

Ryoji asked, "So... What's the motive, then? This?"

"Smart boy. The motive for our first round will be based on these rules, to get you acclimated. After the first trial, though, I'll spice things up more." Dammit, Monokuma! This isn't a damn game! But to him, it most certainly was, and he left us in the lobby alone and abandoned.

I stepped out of my seat and headed back to my room, handbook in hand. Once I was on my bed, I clicked the small indent on the band around my leg and observed my handbook. A new section in rules popped up.

In totally despair-inducing text, it read; Your vice was cowardice; your fear allowed great tragedy to occur to Kotoko. These rules will not be made contradictory to the others, so all rules *can* be followed. Your first objective is simple; Tonight, engage the Monokumas on the roof. If you can survive for ten minutes against their might, you pass. Fail, and die.

Additionally; tell anyone the reason you are doing this action and die. No hints, no warnings, no advice. This includes *after the trial is completed*. Mentioning it at any time is grounds for immediate failure. Have fun.

Finally, if you can discern the objective of another, your handbook will update to remind you. Should you tell anyone, however, you both will be *excused* from the rest of the game.

I groaned to myself, "Fucking perfect..."

I stood up. I guess I still had time until night time set in. What should I do, potentially on my last day on Earth?

 ***Free Time Engage***

When I returned to my room and checked the time. I prepared myself. It was noon. Soon, I'd be risking my life... What should I do with this time?

 ***Free Time Engage***

I returned to my room, feeling dread as the night approached. I still had some time left to myself; what should I do?

 ***Free Time Engage***

It was time for our evening meeting. Already, huh? My fate was nearly sealed...

When I got to the meeting, the others were all seated in their normal places. No one seemed out of place, but I still felt concerned for them. Did they all have stupid shit to do, too?

I took my seat, not glancing at Kotoko, feeling my fresh mental wounds still bleeding.

Ryuu walked in, and when he noticed everyone else was seated, coughed to grab our attention, "Just figure I'd let everyone know. I was kind... No, I was a total asshole yesterday. I played that game of truth or dare too competitively, and I hurt feelings. I have to apologize for that. And... I want to come clean. I ruined Ryoji's life."

Ryoji sat up, a bottle of water in his hands, "What?"

Ryuu sighed, "It's hard for me to admit to, but... I wanted to make games to afford a special operation for my... My friend. She was in a coma, and I would have done anything to save her. So when my partner, Hayato, he started... hurting others, killing others... I covered for him.

"What?" Kojiro snarled, "That's despicable! Why did I ever protect you from Maria!?"

"I know it was wrong!" Ryuu spoke softly, "And because of me covering for him, Ryoji was accused of his sister's murder unfairly... I did that to him, and what's worse, I wasn't going to admit it, either."

"Is this his objective?" Honoka shrugged when Maria asked her that.

Ryuu continued, ignoring the whispers, "But I also have to confess about Kotoko. She's the Ultimate Actress, and formerly a Warrior of Hope," Some of the others gasped. Narutoya seemed impressed, "She killed countless people in this city, even Naoya's father... Because Naoya let her suffer, because he hid from the truth... She suffered. And all that pain and misery inside broke her, and she brought her own rendition of evil upon us... I don't think she's the mastermind, honestly, but we all have to be aware of her crimes. What's fair is fair; we know Taka's."

Taka teared up a little, "You care about me?"

"Don't make it sound weird!" Ryuu snapped at him, "But yeah, that's my announcement. Whoever wants to, go ahead and take the floor."

Honoka spoke first, "Ryuu... I understand. You love that girl, don't you? The one that was hurt..."

Ryuu didn't answer, likely confirming her suspicions.

"I see... I can't blame you," Honoka glanced down at her own hands, folded on the table, "The things we do for love, for acceptance. All we want is for someone to appreciate the person we really are."

Narutoya scoffed, "Enough sappy bullshit. I'm allergic," Honoka glared at him, "Also, if we're making up for lost time... I'm sorry, everyone. I understand my behaviour was unacceptable. It's... hard for me to open up, since Sho ruined my business."

Oh, we're doing this now.

"What, me?" Sho reacted without much concern, "Dude... Like, no way..."

Narutoya lowered his gaze, "I created my own business. I was a silver-tongued man, a guy to get the job done. I became a success, or so I wished..." He sighed, "My parents had high expectations. They beat into me the stressing of success. And Sho here, he rightfully revealed my employees' crimes..." He actually took his shades off and crushed them in his hands. Behind them, he had soft green eyes, tears flowing, "And so I played the villain, trying to... Look cool. But Kicho fell for me, and I learned what love really was. And then, in my own time of weakness and self-doubt... I betrayed her..." Narutoya slammed his shades to the floor in disgust, "I'm a worthless piece of garbage! Chosen by God!? Yes, I suppose I am. Chosen to play his fool..."

Sho admitted, "Yeah, maybe I dropped the ball, blaming you... But hey, we never killed anyone." He turned to Hiro, "Right, Hiro? You wouldn't just hit someone into paralysis for life because they mentioned how weak your leg game is... Riiiiight?"

Hiro's eyes widened, and he jumped up to yell, "-..." He stopped just short of screaming, "I know what I did was wrong, but that bastard bullied me for years. Every day on my morning run, this homeless asshole talked down to me... So I hit him... I hurt him... I crippled him. What do you want from me, man!?" Hiro remained level-headed, keeping his voice calm, though his cracking voice betrayed his feelings, "I... I fucked up."

"To be honest..." Honoka took her time on the stand, so to speak, "Shiori?" The younger girl nodded, "I... Last night... That game, I... I based a game off of Shiori. At first, it was unintentional. Then I used sound clips from her and created a whole game based off of it. I can't imagine how awful it would have been had your school gotten a hold on it... I ruined your life, didn't I?"

Shiori said little, just nodding, "I lost everything."

Honoka closed her eyes, "Admittedly, I knew I should have changed the plot, the voice. But I couldn't abandon the plans I'd made, and I hurt a girl who cheered me up when I fell into depression. I'm the lowest of the low... I don't deserve to play games."

Shiori answered, "If I ruined a life, I k-killed... someone," The others gasped.

Kojiro's eyes widened, "You did what now!?"

"Well, I..." Shiori started crying, "He was... the only one who didn't call me names. Slut, whore... He was nice when everyone else turned on me, and when he tried to... He..." She struggled to say it and instead left us to fill in the blanks, "I think his little sister tried to take her own life. But she lived; fell into a coma... Ryuu... Did I ruin your life?"

Ryuu gripped the end of the table, hard, "...No... No, it's not... Your fault. He deserved it. If I had only lived closer to Tamiko, she would never have-!"

I just sat there, amidst these confessions. I glanced over to Kotoko and Akira, both observing from the sidelines, neither interrupting.

Honoka moved over and patted Ryuu on the shoulder, and he fell into her arms, "I miss her so much! Why!? Why did she have to..."

We had never seen Ryuu express himself so openly. Normally, he kept calm, except the occasional fire starting over spider jumpscare bullshit.

Maria grimaced, "Akira, I knew Genji was bad."

Akira didn't move from her position in the slightest, her hand on her head. She just listened, focusing on Maria.

"I knew he was... That he had anger issues, that he was controlling... But I thought Akira could change him..." Maria cursed a string of words, angrily berating herself, "If I wasn't such a stupid accepting denial-ridden dumbass son of a bitch cunt motherfucker!"

Akira finally relented and talked herself, "Kojiro, I'm sorry. You know why. Being a cynic has its downsides..."

Michi apologized, "Actually, I think I ruined Shinji's... life. I was chasing after a gang that eventually killed and murdered his girlfriend. Had I just done my job instead of chasing the serial killer, Lorraine, I might have helped save a life."

"Sheena brought my mom back," I admitted, "I met my undead half-alive rotting mom apologizing to me for not heeding my warning... That was mad fucked."

Ryoji finally admitted, "Taka?" Taka glanced over, "I sold you out."

"What!?"

"When I heard you guys were cheating, I asked Satsuki for help. She told me she was helping enough people already, and I didn't want to get sterilized, okay!?" Ryoji was angry for once, "That school was fucked, okay!? I should have just left, but... I'd had enough of running! I just wanted friends!"

Taka jumped up, "You motherfucker! You killed her! You ended her fucking life, you bastard cunt!" Taka leapt over the table, but Sho grabbed him, putting him into a full nelson, "Let me go! It'll be a quick trial!"

Sho refused, "Calm down. You know you don't want to kill anymore. You regret what you did, right?"

Taka struggled more, "He made me realize how evil I am!" Taka pointed at Ryoji, "Because he wanted to have bullshit friendship powers like on his damn manga, my best friend was fucking used as a goddamn public breeding tool!"

"What!?" I yelled out. Okay, now that was the worst thing I'd heard all day, "Your school sank that low because of Despair?" Taka nodded, starting to cry again. Sho let him go and he fell back off of the table onto his chair, crying into his hands. "Fuck this world..." I hated everything about our lives at that point.

Sho sighed, "Are we all calm again!?" No one moved, "Okay, good. Now then. Anything else you want to share? Who should I prepare to grab next?"

Kojiro stood up, "I... Well... Should I divulge it?" He thought on it for a moment, "Perhaps tomorrow. Yes, that would be wise. Shiori, is my schedule clear?"

Shiori checked her notes, "Yes, Sensei, you're free."

"Okay... I need time. To prepare myself," Kojiro admitted, exhaling with a heavy sigh, "What... Uh... What else is there to discuss?"

Kicho answered, "I'm proud of you all, coming together to unite at a trying time like this. Honoka, when I worked at H-List, I was the one who spoke so cruelly to you over your project. I regretted it after, but my business stance was set to be harsh; I had to make up for what that id... What that kind ex-boyfriend did to me."

Narutoya asked legitimately, "Can we have another shot?"

Kicho clenched her teeth for just a moment, "Of course... Dear. Why wouldn't I? You're not the lowest dog I know."

Sho did one last cursory search of the room, but when no one else spoke up, he sat back down, "So are we gonna talk about these bracelets or nah?"

"Nah," Nine of us agreed simultaneously. The others remained silent and we all went our separate ways. Meanwhile, I prepared myself for the end times.

On my way to my room to plan my sneak attack, I was called out to, "Hey, Naoya..."

I faced Kotoko, struggling to think what to say, or why, "..."

"I wanted to..." She kicked at the ground, "Well... What I said, what I did..." She was struggling to speak her own feelings right now, "I didn't... I just don't want you risking yourself for me. I care about you, Naoya... When I... When Komaru spared me and I began to reflect on my actions, I realized a lot of things. I didn't like demons immediately. And I wanted Monaca to pay in blood for using me, for using Nagisa and Masaru... Jataro's fine, though."

"Kotoko... You don't have to apologize to me. It's my fault, remember?"

She slapped me. "Stop that!" She then leaned forward and held me, "Stop blaming yourself... If you never learn to forgive yourself, why should I!?" I hesitated to reply, "If I'm able to reform, to be good again, why can't you!? Why are you the exception, you idiot?!"

I finally found my voice, "Kotoko... I..." I bit my lip, "Tomorrow, we'll start over, okay? Not as people with guilt towards each other, but as friends. Okay?"

Kotoko nodded, "You promise?"

"Of course... I need to get up earlier than usual, though, so I'll retire now... You'll be okay by yourself, right?" I asked, unsure what she planned to do.

"Y-yeah... But I know that if the nightmares don't return, I'll be dreaming of you... Ironic, isn't it?" She genuinely laughed, and I felt an overwhelming amount of cuteness exuding from her. She bid me adieu and I went to my room.

"Now how do I not die...?" I pondered.

The Monokuma announcement for night played, and I just ignored it.

The answer was running.

I could talk about the action, how I defended myself, all of that shit. But nah. We played Benny Hill while I screamed like a child fleeing around objects on the roof until my bracelet beeped.

On my way back, I heard something from the pool. I'm not using it again. And boy would I yell at Ryoji and Aya tomorrow.

Nobody noticed me, thankfully, and I got into my bed just before the clock struck twelve.

I closed my eyes, hoping for once I'd have a pleasant dream.


	26. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Day Five

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil-Daily Life**

 **Day Five**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

Where was I? It was dark, so dark I was unable to see my own hand waiving in front of my own face point blank. I reached into my pocket for something and pulled out a handy flashlight. Thank goodness I'd brought it... But why? Where was I?

I shined the flashlight in front of me. There was a set of stairs, ones I'd not seen in the school before. Had I wandered out and gotten lost? Was I sleepwalking? Or was this... a dream?

I took tentative steps forward, slowly descending the stone steps. This was a concrete area, and at the bottom was a door. A simple metal door. I reached for the knob and touched it, waiting to see if it burned before gripping it. Can't be too careful in a building Monokuma put us in.

I opened the door and found myself in shock and awe. I was in the mechanic's office. Ryuu's borrowed welding equipment was set against the wall; or rather, the mask was. The torch was missing.

That wasn't important! Why was I down here!? What was the point!?

I continued walking forward to the other side of the room. Various tools were strewn about, like someone had been searching desperately for something, anything that could work. Hammers and screwdrivers were scattered across the floor, tossed aside due to their lacking usefulness.

I felt fear overcome me finally, and I charged for the door on the other side. I thrust it open, thankful it wasn't blocked, and charged out through the parking lot. What gave me such foreboding feelings? I had to know...

And then I reached the elevator and realized what concerned me.

The elevator had crashed into the floor. As if severed from its rope, it lay crushed on the floor, the damage clear on the bottom and the sides, large scrapes from the wall coating it. There was a bit of blood on the floor in front of the barely opened doors. There was a crack I could see through, should I get close enough.

What should I do!? What should I do!? I could try and help them, but... This didn't seem like an accident... If there was a murderer on the loose... No, it had to be them! Was I tricked all along!?

Who was I...? My head felt fuzzy. I glanced around in front of me, but there was no one in sight. Should I check on them or get the others? I debated with myself before finally deciding that safety should be my priority.

I nodded and turned to leave, but someone's hand clamped over my mouth. I was about to bite and scream when a stabbing sharp pain overwhelmed my senses. I glanced down to see a hand holding a large butcher's knife, which was piercing the left side of my chest. The pain was intense. I think the attacker whispered something to me, but before I could reply, blood starting to trickle down my body, I was let go and dropped to the floor. I hit my head on the way down and closed my eyes, reaching a hand weakly for the knife that I knew was moving to the beats of my heart. I gripped it and felt tears falling down either side of my face before I went limp... My consciousness fading...

A loud crash ripped me from my dream prematurely. The noise startled me, and I quickly jumped out from my bed, scattering the covers and sheets onto the floor. A panic coursed through me as I hurriedly dressed myself and stepped out into the hallway.

Sho was already there, and when he noticed me, he approached, "You heard that, too, right?" He was in serious mode, so I nodded, "That was the elevator... I think it crashed into the basement."

My dream popped into my head. A crashed elevator... Could it be that... That this dream, like Sheena's, was real?

"We can't get down there without the elevator though..." Sho continued, "Why would someone disable it...? Unless..." His eyes grew wide, "Naoya, come with me, now!"

"What's going on...?" Hiro stepped out from his room, wiping his eyes, "It's like three AM... Who's crashing and banging around?"

"Hiro, you too! Let's go, fifth floor, now!" Sho ordered us, and I followed as we tore down the darkened hallways, Monokumas be damned.

Hiro didn't even ask, following us close behind, a determined look in his eye. Seems he realized how serious we were.

We tore up through the fourth floor, but as expected, none of the girls even stirred. Those damn soundproof doors presented its own unique problem, didn't it?

Onto the fifth floor, we raced to the elevators.

Sho reached them first and glanced into the shaft, "Fuck!"

I finally reached his side and looked down. Five floors below us, the elevator had slammed into the floor. I glanced upwards and noticed the rope holding it up had been cut through. Cut? But it was pure metal!

"What the hell!?" Hiro whispered, still trying to keep his voice down. Was it time for an indoor voice, really!?

"We can't get down there otherwise..." Sho cursed to himself, "I think someone dropped this elevator on purpose." He turned to me, "What do you think?"

I didn't want to admit it, but I knew what we'd find, "I... Yeah. This can't have been an accident."

Hiro cracked his knuckles and walked up to the other hole, "Well, fine, then. I'll do recon."

Sho tried to stop him, "We don't know if the attacker is down there! Don't be so hasty! Have you learned nothing from my brother!?"

"Sho..." Hiro shook his head, "Yeah, I did." And he dropped down through the shaft, landing hard on the other, unusable elevator left in disrepair at the bottom, "Now I'll rip these doors open and find out what happened... trust me."

I gave Hiro a thumbs up, "You got this."

As Hiro started pulling away at the doors, Sho noticed something, "Hey... Naoya... Hold my legs." I gave him a curious stare, but he insisted, "Hold them, okay!?"

I grabbed both of his legs as he reached into the newly broken shaft himself, "Why are you in there...?"

"Scrapes along the walls... And then... Come on, reach... Reach... Ahhh!" Sho nearly fell from my grasp, and I was nearly pulled headlong after him. I put either leg on the sides of the wall, struggling to withstand his weight. Sho wasn't the lightest guy, I learned too late.

Luckily, he wasn't the weakest, either; he managed to push off against the inside hard enough to fling us both back onto the floor behind us. Sho landed hard on my chest before getting up and lending me a hand. When I reached my feet, he presented what he'd found, "This was hidden in the corner..." It was a blow torch. And considering the small blue tint at the end, and the smell of burning, we both concluded it had just been used, "Someone broke this elevator on purpose... But why?"

Than was when Hiro called up to us, "You two... Get down here... Please." It was a weak call, one of defeat.

Sho and I gave each other concerned looks, and then he jumped down onto the elevator Hiro had landed on.

As he forced his way through the opened doors, I jumped after him, landing hard on the metal roof of the elevator. I nearly stumbled out of the shaft, landing hard on my hands and knees, scraping myself up. I winced in pain and roused myself to my feet again. I followed Sho to where Hiro was standing, and what I saw... What I saw was etched into my memory. I'd never forget the horrors I witnessed in that moment, the feeling of unavoidable fate... I was nearly sick to my stomach, clutching my own body with disgust and falling to my knees.

I recognized her instantly. This was a dear friend sprawled before me... covered in her own blood.

Her small body almost looked peaceful, the blank expression on her face, her bright orange hair uncontaminated by her blood stains coating her shirt. A butcher's knife protruded from her chest, presumably in her heart, due to the startling lack of blood. They said you'd stop bleeding when the heart stopped, right?

Her blouse was soaked, her jeans and belt splattered with the occasional droplets of blood. Just out of reach of her hand was her trusty notebook, which had the last page torn out from it. Her hand longed for it, as if it was the last thing in the world she wanted to lose, even more than her own life.

Michi no Cheisa, the Ultimate Forensic Analyst, our best bet at solving these crimes, and our dear, excitable friend who loved the sense of adventure and disapproved of the infighting between us had been murdered. Murdered in cold blood. I glanced to Hiro and Sho. Hiro had realized all of this before me, silently grinding his teeth.

Sho fell to his knees, "N... No... No! Michi... I... I said I'd..." He began reaching for her body, but Hiro pulled him away, "I can save her! She's not... She's not dead! Let me go! Let me help her!"

"Help her?" Hiro grabbed him roughly by the collar, "You can't help the dead!"

"I have to! I'm the only one here who tried!" Sho yelled out desperately, "I told her she'd be safe! I promised!" He struggled against Hiro, trying to overpower him.

Hiro held him down against the floor, trying to reason with him, "If you go disturbing the crime scene, we won't catch her killer!" Sho eased when Hiro pointed that out, "Now calm... down. If you want to do anything for her, we have to catch the killer. Understand?" Sho nodded, tears forming in his eyes, "Good. Now... I'll go get the others. You two... Stay here."

Hiro ran towards the shaft and jumped up, grabbing parts of the walls, scaling the hole like an expert climber.

I approached Sho and knelt over, "Sho..."

Sho didn't answer, and I glanced over at Michi, who still had that peaceful look on her face. A body discovery announcement was playing in the background, and I knew what that meant. Three people had found the victim. Which meant Sho, Hiro, and I were obviously absolved of guilt. At least, of the killing blow...

"She... She told me she needed to do something tonight..." Sho trembled, "But I refused. I told her to stay in her room, to stay safe... I begged and pleaded until she agreed..." Sho fell to his knees, "So why...? Michi... Why didn't you listen!?"

Sho sobbed into the ground near Michi, and as I heard the shouting come from the shaft behind us, I knew the others would be here soon. I sat down on my legs, put my face into my hands, and waited. Waited for the investigation to begin. Wait for our lives to change. Wait for our first trial to commence.

To wait before dying or putting another friend to death.


	27. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Deadly Life

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil**

 **Deadly Life Start**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

The others trickled in, one after another. Some of them cried, others panicked, and still others said nothing, watching over the rest of us, probably to analyze our reactions. Kicho, Narutoya, and Akira silently observed us, the latter drinking from her flask every so often as we tried to sort ourselves.

Monokuma appeared, "Wasn't that a nasty surprise? And really, the forensic specialist first? It's almost like that was too obvious!" He laughed, "Sho tried to protect her, but that didn't work out, huh?"

Sho growled and lunged for Monokuma, but Hiro intervened again, holding him back.

"No, let him hit me!" Monokuma spoke enthusiastically, "I'd love to execute him, too!"

"Sho..." Hiro held Sho off, "You know better."

Sho finally gave up, opting to try and set Monokuma on fire with his mind, "Stare..."

Monokuma ignored his gaze, "Alrighty, let's go! First off, your objectives are done. Whenever a body is found, your objectives are automatically turned off for the investigation and trial. I didn't want you to get hampered by the rules we set, and this also means if you kill someone, you're free to avoid your objective!" Like any of us would go so far as to kill someone for a petty objective. I'd rather be poisoned.

"Second, the trial will be held tonight at 8 PM. That's a good sixteen and a half hours or so. In the meanwhile, you can eat, sleep, investigate, cry... I'll even let you go back to the first floor and out to town! But be aware; you must all arrive outside the hotel by 8. Okay!?" His red eye shined brightly, "Good!" He threw out books, each one landing in the hands of or into the face of the fourteen of us. Only then did I notice Kojiro was absent.

Narutoya raised a hand, "The girls had an announcement appear in their rooms, right? With the soundproof rooms they have, there's no way they could have heard it."

Monokuma nodded, "Correct. Now then... The file will tell you... most of the details you'll need about the body. Beyond that, it's fair game! So if you don't intend to solve this murder and focus elsewhere, on the others, on your relationships... Be prepared for the consequences... Upupupupu!" And he left.

And he left us, a sound playing in all of our handbooks, reminding us that the trial would begin tonight at 8 PM. We'd have a good sixteen and a half hours to investigate to our heart's content; to rest, to eat, to prepare.

I ignored most of his explanations. I already knew the gist of it, and my mind was still reeling from the shock. Who could honestly remember all of that, word for word, after finding the corpse of a friend like this?

"Can someone... let me out now?" Kojiro called out to us, and I jogged to the elevator. The blood was indeed his, and I saw him clearly through the slightly opened doors, "Hey... Help."

Sho and Hiro ran over and started pulling the doors free. I grabbed Kojiro's extended arm and pulled him out from the destroyed machine.

As we fell to the floor, I saw why there was blood. His leg had a huge gash in it, bleeding through his ripped pants leg. He grimaced in pain, struggling to maintain his balance as he stood.

Shiori freaked out, "Sensei!" She ran over to him, "You... Oh, no! I'll get my first aid kit, stay right here!"

Shiori sped off to find her kit while Kojiro leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, not disturbing his leg, "Silly girl... Haha... Why she'd go to so much trouble for old me..."

I leaned over, "Kojiro, what were you doing? In that elevator?"

Kojiro avoided my gaze, "I was meeting with someone. I'm afraid I can't say more than that."

Narutoya walked closer, "Did you see the killer? Michi was murdered right in front of the elevator after all. Only a few feet away..."

"I wasn't looking. I was preoccupied with my shattered leg..." Kojiro snarkily replied. He was definitely mentally fine, "...I... Well, our objectives may be over now, but we can't discuss them. So just presume I'm obligated not to say."

"Which is an excellent cover Monokuma provided for you, should you have planned a murder," Narutoya spoke plainly, "I didn't understand the rules and not telling until just now. You might legitimately be under oath not to tell us why you were out here. But you could also be using that as a device to escape suspicion. Correct?"

Ryoji put a hand on his hip, "Oh, so you're going to actually be helpful now?"

"I may not be chosen by God, but I do have self-confidence, remember?" Narutoya turned back to Kojiro, "And I can't stand to watch a murderer go unpunished."

Kojiro sighed, "Then you have to trust in me or not. But regardless if you believe in me, you must understand I didn't cut the elevator down. And should I have been in here, trapped... I couldn't have killed Michi."

Narutoya consented to that idea "You certainly aren't her killer, but it leaves room for debate." He turned to address the rest of us, "Whether we investigate alone or together, we need guards to watch Kojiro and the body. Shiori will be one when she returns. I suggest Hiro and Sho to watch over Michi's crime scene. The rest of us are free to wander."

"Who died and made you boss?" Ryoji argued with him.

"Nice choice of words," Narutoya remarked, "Someone has to discuss this properly. Let's not waste time!"

With his announcement, I opened my handbook to read the file we had. That was the first step.

I opened the handbook and swiped it down one page. Michi's limp body was pictured there, just as I had first seen it. Shivers went down my spine as the realization that this was truly happening to us finally hit me.

Under the picture, labeled in large pink letters, was the Cause of Death. The victim's body was discovered in the underground parking lot approximately seven feet away from the elevators. The estimated time of death is 3:15 AM. The victim was stabbed once in the chest, directly in the heart, and left to die. Fatal damage to the heart is the cause of death. The victim does not have any other external injuries, and no chemicals such as poison or medications are in her system.

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Monokuma File 1# has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

I ran over to Michi's body and checked. Indeed, the file wasn't lying. I examined the butcher's knife, but it was the same you could find in any kitchen.

Akira was still against the wall when I called to her, "Akira, come here..."

Akira joined my side, "What?"

"You use the kitchen often. Is this knife familiar to you?" I asked, pointing it out to her.

"Yeah... Yeah, I used it to cut the chicken Maria had. She ate the legs at the meeting, remember?" I nodded. I did indeed remember that, "So this knife came from the kitchen. Then anyone could have taken it."

I sighed. It wasn't too helpful a clue, but it was a start.

"Thanks anyway, Akira... Do you want to investigate with me or not?" I offered.

She shook her head, "No... I'll do fine on my own. Don't get hurt, kid."

I nodded, "You too, Akira..."

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Kitchen Knife has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

I noticed Michi's notebook and picked it up. The last page had been hastily torn off, so much so that a bit of the page was left behind. The last piece just listed Lorraine equals... Did she discover their identity? Could Lorraine have been the one to kill her?

I checked the rest of the notebook. She had written down observations of everything we did. When Ryuu used the mask and torch, when we and Akira ran into Shinji and Monokuma, everything. The notes were in incredible detail, suggesting how thorough she was.

That just meant the killer must have taken the last page. Was it because Michi knew something the killer didn't want to be found out?

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Michi's Notebook has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

That at least told me the killer felt they had limited time. They knew someone would investigate the noise of the elevator dropping. Now I had to find the passageway I needed.

"Ryuu, Honoka..." I approached the two of them as they talked, "Can you two come with me to the mechanic's for a bit?" Ryuu seemed confused, "I need your testimony."

The three of us entered the room and looked around. Tools were strewn about hastily, hammers and pliers and screwdrivers knocked around. Car parts were also separated, and several pieces looked like they were missing. I'd never inspected these too closely, but I did notice an empty spot or two among them.

I found the place Ryuu had gotten the tools before, "Ryuu, look."

Ryuu noticed, "Oh... The blow torch I used to seal my ventilation shaft. It's gone."

"Sho spotted it hidden in the corner of the elevator shaft, on the fifth floor. Someone came tearing through here, looking for it." That was my theory.

"But why?" Honoka was lost, as to be expected.

I answered, "Well, look at the place. Someone must have been looking for something, and this is the only thing I know for a fact is missing..." I wondered why they didn't take the mask as well, "This is how they made the elevator fall. Someone burned through the metal holding it up."

Ryuu nodded, "That's probably the only thing that could. But how did they get the elevator to stop with Kojiro inside of it for that long?"

"We just have to talk to Kojiro about that, right?" Honoka offered, "Even if he can't tell us why, he can confess to what happened in the elevator, right?"

"Good plan," Ryuu agreed, "I'll go do that. What about you, Naoya?"

I had an idea, "I'll handle something else, then."

Ryuu walked to the doorway, Honoka trailing behind him. If what we just discussed is true, someone planned to kill Kojiro, or at least harm him. If so, they used the blow torch to drop him down there. Would Michi have done that?

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Disorganized Mechanic's Office has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Missing Blow Torch has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

I waited until they were gone and headed to the far wall. I didn't notice anything off; no indents or something to tell me it wasn't. So I had to do an old detective strategy. I started knocking on the wall, listening and feeling for any hollow spot. Eventually, I did; in between two of the racks on the wall. And because I'm not that smart, I kicked it. The wall budged, so I started feeling around. I eventually found something that felt off, a small indent like I'd wanted. I put my finger in it, and voila, the wall opened. Or rather, the automatic door did. I checked the other side to find it was a normal door on the other side, likely a back way out that Monokuma hid from us. I ascended the stone spiral staircase that I remembered in my dreams and ended up in a dark room. I fumbled around until I felt a light switch and flicked it.

I was in a bathroom; one of the bathrooms on the fifth floor, I think. I walked to the door and opened it up. Down the hall, I saw the empty shaft, and the blowtorch Sho had left behind. So this would be the shortcut Michi used, huh? But who found this?

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Secret Passage has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

That explains how Michi got down here. An idea came to mind, and I ran back to her.

I picked up her notebook and read the data for the fifth floor. Found an indentation in the wall in floor five, will investigate. Update: A passageway to the mechanic's office. Can use when elevator is disabled.

'Can use when elevator is disabled?' Michi intended for that to happen? Hm...

 **Updated Truth Bullet! Michi's Notebook has been updated to reflect your new findings.**

Michi intended for the elevator to fall. Someone must have discovered her plan and sabotaged it; then followed her and killed her? Is that right? I don't know...

I decided to talk to Kojiro; his testimony could make or break my theories. I also needed to speak with Sho.

Shiori was taking care of Kojiro's leg, disinfecting the wound and patching him up, "Kojiro... I know you can't tell me why you were down here, but why did you endanger yourself!? You should have stayed in your room like you told me to!"

"Shiori, I told you, the job of an officer is dangerous." Kojiro scolded her, "You're just a high school student."

"So are you," I reminded him, "It's hard to take fire through a glass house."

Kojiro grimaced, "What do you want, Naoya? As I said before-"

I waved my hand, "It's fine. I don't intend to ask why you were out. I wanted to ask about the ride. The elevator ride."

"Well... I suppose I can," Kojiro sighed, "I can't just turn away from this crime, but..." He grunted with acceptance, "Fine... I was meeting someone on the fifth floor, but they never showed themselves. I decided to take the elevator back down to the third floor to determine my next course of action. When I got in the elevator, I pressed the button for the third floor. The door closed, and then the elevator... shook a little. Like something had landed on top of it... Then I heard the sound of a blowtorch. That sound when it's really burning..."

"That sounds scary! Why didn't the elevator move!?" Shiori exclaimed, fearful for Kojiro's health.

Kojiro contemplated that for a moment, "There are certain safeties elevators can have. This elevator has wedges... Notches in the sides of the elevator hold it in place as it falls down the rails. So if somebody cut all of the wires, it would stay in place," He adjusted his clothes, pulling out his handbook, "They must have preemptively burned through the cables mostly, since it snapped in a matter of a few seconds. The elevator has a thirty second delay before the doors close shut, and another ten second delay before it starts descending or ascending. So workers can safely move out of the way."

"Ah, I see. It would take forever to cut through the cables all at once, and you'd just break out of the elevator by prying the doors open. Instead, they prepped it where they couldn't be seen and waited for you." That was concerning. Whoever did this to Kojiro, killer or not, had to have known about his meeting here. Would one of us even be good enough to figure that out?

Shiori seemed lost, "But why didn't the notches catch in the wedges and stop the elevator?"

"They filled them," Kojiro answered, "If they could have put something there to disrupt them, something heavy or hard to break, the notches might have been flattened against the side of the car. At most, it slowed me down enough that I only damaged my leg."

I see. That explains the missing car parts. Engine parts could certainly block a wedge, and with how some of them are shaped, would be able to hang there. Someone preemptively filled the notches and burned through the wires. How calculated was their master plan?

"Where are the notches? Do you remember when the elevator slowed?" I asked. If he could tell me that, then...

"About two or three feet above the fourth floor ... The elevator halted for a moment. By the time I was done thanking the safeties and opening the door, it dropped the rest of the way," He shook his head in anger, "If I'd just laid flat, I wouldn't have gotten injured... Still, though, escape is a natural survival action on my part. I can't blame my panicked self for trying."

Shiori's eyes sparkled, "Sensei, you're so smart. You almost escaped such an ingenious trap!"

Kojiro denied that, "No. Judging by where the notches are, I'd be able to reach the first foot of the fifth floor. Enough to see, to talk to you through, but not enough to escape. When I think of it that way, I wonder if it was a trap."

"A trap?" Shiori asked, "So they cut the cables and planned to trap you between floors?"

"Likely," Kojiro admitted, "If they did that, I'd be at their mercy."

"Then it wasn't a plan to kill unless they also affected the notches," I realized, "So in theory, whoever did this might have been trying to catch you... And then someone else sabotaged that plan."

That could make all the difference, "One last question. After you landed, what do you remember? In detail."

Kojiro winced as Shiori finished bandaging his leg, "There you go... Don't strain yourself before the trial, Sensei."

"I know, I know..." Kojiro bantered with her, and though he acted annoyed, he couldn't hide his smirk, "I hit the floor like a jackass. The car slammed into the ground, and I landed on my leg. The door was open from when I pulled hard on it, but I couldn't find the strength to open it the rest of the way."

"So you didn't hear Michi come in?" I asked, trying to make sure.

Kojiro nodded, "Yes, that's... I didn't hear her walking or her death. The killer likely closed her mouth shut and held her down."

I struggled to think about the blanks we had. Did Michi intend to kill him or entrap him? What was her motivation? If her goal was merely capture, then who sabotaged the plan, and how did they know?

There were too many rogue elements.

"Shiori, what about you?" I asked, trying to get any information I could use.

Shiori shook her head, "No... I didn't have an objective that would make me leave my room at night. I tried to get to bed early, but I had trouble sleeping. I was exhausted when I fell asleep, and then that mean Monokuma woke me up right after to tell me that..." Tears started falling down her face, and she clutched my shoulders, "Michi... She didn't..." She was sobbing incoherently, so I just held her. Kojiro looked pained. He wanted to say something, anything to calm her down, but either no words came to mind or he thought better to stay silent.

I let Shiori get it all out, mumbling about the things she and Michi wanted to do together, how they'd hung out as 'secret detectives' and looking for some means of escaping the hotel together. I didn't know what to say, so I just listened and held her.

After a few minutes, she regained control, "...S-sorry... Um... Naoya?" Her eyes were puffy, "When you're done investigating... I need to talk to you... Okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I can do that." I stood up, "I explored upstairs already. Just need to talk to Sho and I'll be done, I think."

I bid the two of them farewell. Shiori was still sad, so Kojiro tried to distract her with stories of his adventures. She quickly distracted herself with them, laughing at the antics of the much more idiotic criminals he dealt with.

Thank you, Kojiro... She needed that.

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Kojiro's Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Elevator Trap has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Car Parts has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

Sho and Hiro were standing over Michi's body on either end of the lot, keeping watch. I approached Sho, who seemed to have finally stopped crying, "Hey, Sho."

"What... What's up, duuuude..." Sho cursed, "Yeah, that's not working. I can't act when I'm this way..." He slammed his fist into the wall, his knuckles rumbling, "Why'd it have to be her, of all people!? Why her!? Fuck!"

I didn't stop him. He had to express himself; bottling up his pain wouldn't be a pleasant alternative, "You said this before... That Michi suggested a plan to you. I need to know what it is."

Sho finally gave me his attention, "That... It's bullshit!" Sho punched the wall again, "We're in the middle of all of this, and she says, 'I found Lorraine. I deduced who it is.' So of course, I tell her it's too dangerous, but she's already got a plan. Trap him between the elevators, she said. Then we can question him..." Capturing him was her goal, then, "I refused to play along. Told her to just confront them in the group meeting tomorrow. She agreed... But she lied."

"And that's why you knew to go to the elevator. You suspected her plan had gone wrong, huh?" Sho nodded. That answered some questions. When we were up there, we didn't pass by anybody. If they had used the secret passage to get back to their room, the must have watched us and then made their escape after Sho and I dropped down. If they heard Hiro call out, that meant we'd been bamboozled.

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Sho's Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

"Sho, I have one last question..." I started.

Sho glanced over at Michi, "Shoot. Anything to catch her killer..."

I decided to take a shot in the dark, "Did she ever tell you about where she hid her room key? She mentioned not carrying it on her person, and no one said anything about finding it..."

"Actually... Uh..." He reached into his pocket, "She made me a spare. I forgot I had it. She told me she used the mechanic's office to make it, but she didn't have a guide. So she tore the place apart. Does it still look bad?"

I confirmed, "Absolutely ruined. Thanks, Sho."

Holding the key to her room in hand, I headed to the mechanic's office, snuck through the secret passage, and reached the fifth floor. Down the stairs to the fourth floor, I checked each door for the nameplate. I found Michi's room and put the key in the handle. It clicked, and the door opened.

I walked inside and found out how deeply Michi's obsession went. On the wall she had giant notes plastered with each our names with observations about us, our actions, or qualities, our inconsistencies.

I checked mine; hey, I'm not spineless! I wanted to snap at her, but... But I couldn't anymore.

Pushing that dark thought aside, I focused instead on the many notes. After reading countless comments on everyone and learning some great tells for a few of them, I found it. A small note on her desk. It read; 'In case I am killed in action, let the record show that Kojiro Keigo is the infamous serial killer, Lorraine. I intend to capture him tonight with my...' What!? 'With my ally. I won't identify them here, but they agreed to help. Sho was going to be our third, but he turned me down. He cares for me so much!' A little heart is drawn there. 'When I catch Lorraine and get him to confess, I'm going to confess my feelings to Sho! That's the promise I made myself...'  
She had an accomplice? Was that who betrayed her? If they knew about her plans, they could have easily orchestrated this whole situation. Was this an attempted double murder?

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! The Accomplice has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Michi's Confession has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

I left her room and locked it. I hid the key in my room before descending down the stairs through the opened first floor hallway. It was about five in the morning when I found Shiori and Kojiro still talking, "Hey, Shiori. I'm done." She smiled, "Kojiro, want us to help you to your room?"

"Yeah... I'm sick of being down here with..." He sighed, "I knew her from our similar work fields. I always knew she was naive, an airhead... But to see her killed, possibly because of me..." Kojiro stopped himself, "I just need to sleep."

Shiori and I helped him to his room, each of us taking one side of him, leading him up the stairs and into the third floor hallway. He handed us his key and we opened it for him and set him down inside. He closed the door behind us and locked it, likely for privacy reasons.

"So what did you want, Shiori?" I asked.

Shiori stopped walking, "Uh..." She pointed, "Can we talk in your room? I don't want us to be overheard..."

And that was how Shiori and I sat down together on the edge of my bed, her drinking some tea and me some warm milk to calm my nerves and help me sleep.

"Naoya... I..." Shiori stuttered, "I j-just... Well... Um..." She was blushing a little, "I wanted to ask if you... If we could..."

"What are you so nervous for?" I patted her on the shoulder, "You can trust me, I hope..."

Shiori leaned over and kissed me on the lips. I nearly moved away from her, but she held on tightly. She broke away, "I... Naoya... Kojiro's near-death incident made me realize... how much we could lose here... I don't want to die without knowing what it felt like to love, to be loved..." She put her hand over her heart, "And I've grown close to you in these past few days, so... Please let me stay."

...Well, shit. As I may have mentioned before, I originally considered her like a supportive little sister more than a person I'd romance. I had grown close to her in these past few days...

I decided to make an executive choice, "Shiori... That's not right. That would feel wrong. Like... taking advantage of you..." I held her close, putting my head on hers, "I care about you, truly. I don't want you making a choice you'll regret."

"I won't regret it, Naoya..." She answered me after some thought, "I really do love you... And I feel like... Like I'll lose my chance if I don't say it now..." I felt bad when she awaited a reaction from me, her eyes clear and determined, "If you shoot me down or not, I'll respect it... But I'd like to know. Do you, could you... Would you be mine?"

"Tojiko... No... Shiori..." I met her gaze. "I feel like... Like this wouldn't be right. I don't want to create needless drama in our group, and..." I had to tell her, "Akira and I, we... spent a night together. Honoka may have influenced the events, but I can't fully blame her for our actions."

Shiori's eyes lost their shine, "O-Oh... Is that so? You like older women?"

What!? "I meant... that... Well, that my feelings are complicated. I'm not sure what I want, for me, for my future... And I don't want to get in the way of your happiness if I make mistakes along the way..."

"Naoya... You're so kind to me... That's why I fell for you..." Shiori moved towards me, and i didn't resist. She kissed my cheek, "I won't do anything unless you say so, but... I had to respond to that..."

And that's when I kissed her on the mouth, passionately, her surprise turning to enthusiasm as she pressed me back, "Shiori... I feel like you're takin' advantage of me, here... Hehe... You're a sly girl, aren't you?"

She gave me a smug grin, "Maybe I'm taking an opportunity at a bleak time to win your affection. I'm not sorry..."

"Then consider this your victory." I kissed her again, harder this time, and she pushed me down onto the bed.

Shiori glanced down at me, straddling me with that confident smirk, "May I claim my spoils?"

...

We fell asleep together, having a short nap with her holding onto me tightly the whole while. The peaceful smile on her sleeping face comforted me; prepared me for the upcoming trial. Shiori left my room at about 2 PM to discuss with Kojiro and the others anything else they'd pieced together. Now what should I do?

I was about to casually engage in free time when a knock on my door came. I answered it to find Ryuu, Honoka, Ryoji, and Aya, "Naoya? We wanted to discuss what you found together. Is that alright?"

"Yeah... I'm not doing anything..." The four of us decided to head to the manga cafe to make our favorite drinks and calm our nerves. When we got there, Kotoko was making herself a drink.

"Hey... Kotoko-chan..." I called out to her when we arrived. She glanced at us, and then went back to her own drink, "We uh... We're going to discuss our findings. Want to... want to join?"

Ryoji called me aside, "You sure about this? You haven't forgotten what she did, have you?"

I responded calmly, "Whether she frightens you a bit or not, we need everyone to help in the trial. Besides, I trust her."

Ryuu shook his head, "Is there anyone you won't trust?"

"Honoka with my drinks," She awkwardly laughed, leaving the others confused, "But beyond that, I'm fine. So... Kotoko?"

Kotoko eventually answered, "If you want... I didn't investigate on my own, though. I was too shaken up... Michi, she... Out of all of us, it would be her... Why?"

I answered in a way I thought would work, "Because despair is a powerful, unwieldy force. And there are those who spread it, much unlike you or I, who do so with intent."

"I suppose you're right..." Kotoko put a finger to her chin, "If you're really fine with me... I'll stay. And... I'm sorry. I don't think I ever formally apologized for what I did, especially to... to you, Naoya. So..." She kicked dust with her foot, "I beg you for forgiveness!" She even bowed to me.

"Kotoko... Don't worry. I'll forgive you. If I can't forgive you, I'll never forgive myself." I patted her on the head and the six of us seated at the largest table in the room.

Ryuu began the meeting, "So, Naoya, I want you to start. You were third on the scene, right after Sho and Hiro. We can presume you were the three witnesses, but I have to clarify some things for myself. So go over what you know."

I thought back to this morning, "Actually... I have some information that might help... I had a dream as Michi."

Ryuu's eyes widened, "What, really?"

"Yeah... Don't tell the others, but... I had a dream as Sheena, and then as Michi... I might be able to experience the ends of the lives of our classmates..." Not that I was happy about that, "If everyone knew, I'd have to die..."

Kotoko offered, "Or they could keep you awake. Then you wouldn't have to be collateral."

I thought about that, "Well, yeah... I guess if you ever want to murder and not get caught, keep me awake. But please... No stabs. Not necessary, and I've already been... through enough in this game."

"If you slept just before the trial, would you dream as them?" Honoka asked another probing but valid question.

"I don't know. I'll take sleeping meds and try but... Kotoko, can you get me up in case it's harder for me to?" I asked.

Kotoko agreed heartily, "Of course! I have to contribute somehow, don't I!?"

Aya motioned with her hand, "So, what was the dream actually like? I've been curious how it works for you."

I began, "Vividly, of course. Depending on what I'm experiencing, it's different. But in this scenario I awoke to a darkened room. I couldn't see or hear where I was, but when I stepped, I heard tile. I now suspect it to be the girl's bathroom on the fifth floor."

Ryuu wondered, "But there's hundreds of smaller bathrooms in our rooms. If you didn't see the room, couldn't it have been smaller?"

"Nope. The next part confirmed my suspicions... The room had a secret entrance. In the closet in the bathroom, there's a hidden doorway. Just like in the real Hope's Peak."

"Really?" Honoka began fantasizing, "Does this mean people were using the janitor's closet to... to commit crimes of public indecency!?"

I ignored her outburst, "Monokuma likely hid the entrance in a familiar way so that the curious or the insightful among us would find it and use it for murderous purposes..." So I suspected at least. I couldn't definitively prove that, "But I can prove why. The other side, where the stone steps lead, is a door through the back of the mechanic's office," I brought up, "After you two left this morning, I checked the wall and found it. You can investigate yourself, The door is hidden, and the knob was removed on one side and the hole blocked."

Ryuu nodded, "I see... That would be an alternate route to the parking lot without needing the elevator."

Aya slammed her hand into her other palm, "So that's why! Monokuma gave us a secret way down there... To use the elevator for murder!"

"I can't prove he knew the elevator would be used, but if I committed a crime in the parking lot, I'd have to disable it to try and hide evidence. He never said he'd unblock the way down there... So the killer tried to prevent us from reaching the evidence." I didn't like the thought, because it meant they had certainly intended to get away with it, "But no one guarded that secret entrance, so they either suspected we'd not find it... Or they were focusing on something else for the investigation."

Honoka wondered aloud, "So should we suspect people that didn't investigate?"

Ryoji shot that down, "Nah... Hiro and Sho had to guard the body. Shiori was tending to Kojiro, and he was bleeding pretty badly. Heck, before now, Aya and I also hadn't found any clues."

"Regrettably, this doesn't yet lower the number of potential suspects..." Ryuu remained calm in this moment, knowing that was the key between life and death, "I'll investigate this secret passage with the other three here to verify your claims. Understood?"

I nodded, "You suspect me, too? If I shadowed you and took you out, the others would know it was me."

Ryuu shook his head, glancing at Kotoko for a split second, "Not just you could use this against me..."

Kotoko pouted, "How rude... I'm right here."

"I'm aware," Ryuu deadpanned, "So, Naoya... What happened next?"

"Well, if you read my words carefully, you'd remember that I didn't know for certain I was in the bathroom," I had to explain this part early, "To an extent, I can understand what they're thinking because I'm dreaming, but I don't receive prior knowledge." In layman's terms, I knew what they thought then, not the information they knew in the scenario. "Because she knew where she was, she didn't think about it. She was focused on her fear, which suggests the elevator could have crashed in front of her eyes. Her goal was to trap Kojiro in the elevator between the fourth and fifth floor. But someone sabotaged the notches the elevator is supposed to wedge into," I thought how smart of a plan it had been, "I found notes in her room that said as such."

I showed them to Ryuu, who glanced over them, "This is her handwriting, too. I noticed it when we escorted her through the floors of the hotel."

I explained, "She gave an extra key to her room to Sho because she trusted him... She loved him..." I felt sorrow knowing how Michi must have died, wishing she'd had time to confess, "The room was organized, though. No missing pages, no attempt to hide information that she left everywhere. Even her plans for tonight were left behind, and the knowledge of the accomplices," I pointed to that in the paper I'd taken, "If Sho knew about the plan and tried to kill Kojiro, he likely would have wanted to kill Michi as well and destroy the evidence. He had access, so he could have. But since he later lead me to the crime scene, I suspect he's innocent. And if he intended to only kill Kojiro, then he's not a suspect, but an attempted murderer at best."

Ryoji thought about it, "Of course he wouldn't kill her... I heard those screams... That's not fake pain... I haven't heard wailing like that since my old high school..."

"Whether he faked his reaction or not isn't important," Ryuu commented, "Even if his feelings are real, he might be dangerous. We're not letting our guard down for some reckless stoner."

"If Hiro didn't stop him, he'd have been executed, Ryuu..." Aya pointed out correctly. Sho's outburst was the most emotion I'd ever seen from him. That was the desperation of a man who had already lost before. And to think, the man that stopped him was his brother's attacker... What irony was this?

"I'll accept his innocence, for this trial at least..." Ryuu reluctantly relented, "But I'm watching him. We can't trust someone who acts so casual but reacts to situations so well."

Honoka chuckled, "This isn't like Stellarass, where everyone wants to take you system sectors..."

Ryuu snapped, "I know! This is way more important; and still somehow better designed. And cheaper?" He made a dark joke, "What is the going rate for human lives, anyways? Does anyone here know a nationalist? Any country will do."

Kotoko offered, "Monaca would do ten thousand yen per adult, if that helps."

"Hm... Kind of steep. That's what, thirty thousand if we get this trial right?"

"And a hundred and forty thousand if we don't," Ryoji warned, "Now get back on track. Naoya, continue. For the sake of my sanity..."

I finally was able to continue, "Michi ended up going down the stairs and into the mechanic's office. She observed the room briefly, and, whether she did or I did, one of us noticed the torch that Ryuu used was gone. I didn't think much of it, since the room looked trashed, but it didn't make sense to me now. If Michi was the one who used it to cut the cables for the elevator car, she would have known exactly where it was," I proposed, "So the state of the mechanic's room shouldn't be her fault. She didn't expect the room to look that way either. And the fact she didn't return the blow torch then, to toss it in that mess, confirms to me that she didn't plan to kill Kojiro. No way would she overlook evidence that important when it's her job to understand that sort of thinking."

"...You're right," Ryuu admitted, "I didn't really think Michi would murder Kojro, so it made little sense to me her involvement. That point definitely counts here..."

"Of course Michi wouldn't kill someone," Kotoko weakly said, "She's not like... me..."

Ryuu pointed, "That's a confession. I'm watching you."

Kotoko shouted, "What about you!? You're the one with experience covering up murders!"

Aya interjected, "Guys, come on... I know you have bad blood, but this is only going to make murder more likely. And honestly... Kotoko would win that fight anyway."

Ryoji nodded, "Yep."

I agreed, "Without a doubt."

Even Honoka chimed in, "Calling it a fight is generous, don't you think?"

"Okay... That's just darude," Ryuu said, laughing at our reactions, "Okay, so... What happened next, Naoya?"

I thought back on the incident, "She left the room and headed for the elevator. We saw the blood near it, but I couldn't see inside. Michi decided to go get help, but a hand covered our mouth and stabbed us. She did think that... that she knew they might betray her, but... Well, it's potential the accomplice is the killer, but... That's her thoughts. Not the truth."

"Hm... But she didn't name them," Ryuu grabbed at his forehead, "Because why be helpful, right, Michi? God dang it..."

"I panicked, of course. Then the sound of the elevator crash awoke me. I jumped up and panicked... I knew the murder was going to occur, anywhere from a few minutes to hours..." I had had hope that I could have saved her if I made it quickly enough. But of course I couldn't... The dream is the future, and I was nowhere to be found, "When I got outside, Sho was there. He stayed up tonight because he feared Michi might pull this plan off anyways... He must have realized it went bad from the crash."

"Why didn't he go after her?" Honoka asked, a fair question.

I didn't have that answer, "Perhaps he trusted her. But likely, he didn't want to tip Kojiro off to her plan. That could have been bad, especially if Kojiro himself had any plans."

Ryuu contemplated that thought, quietly absorbing the ideas throughout our talk.

I continued, "Sho recruited me to go after her, and since he knew the plan, he knew it was the elevator. Hiro heard us and complained, and Sho dragged him along," How much time had passed, "About three minutes in, we reached the fifth floor... Sho helped Hiro down, and he noticed the blow torch. I connected the dots quickly; the best way to cut through the cables were to burn them; likely she burned through most of them earlier and left one to cut through after he entered it."

Aya sighed, "And that's... when Hiro told you what he found, right? He said that... that when he got down there, he heard Kojiro cursing loudly... But when he found Michi, he forgot about it... Do you think Kojiro saw the killer and lied?"

Ryoji didn't buy it, "Wasn't Kojiro trying to deal with his leg? He had wounds, like he tried to patch it up himself. He probably just fucked himself up, since he thought he was trapped down there for who knows how long..."

Kotoko agreed, "Yeah... His wounds looked bad, and if he was unaware of the secret passage, he'd bleed out if he did nothing... Plus, he told us he saw and heard nothing. Naoya, did Michi make a bunch of noise in the dream?"

"No, it was quiet... Eerily so. I didn't even hear them run off... They likely didn't make a sound in case Kojiro was alive," At least, from what I remembered, that had been the case.

Ryuu proposed, "So Kojiro was trying to provide self-care because he was likely trapped. If he died, Monokuma would have counted it as murder, meaning he did that to prevent putting our lives in danger..."

"We need to catch this killer... For Michi, for Sho, for Kojiro... Not just ourselves," Ryoji espoused his views, clearly motivated to put this trial behind us.

"Agreed... Is that all?" I glanced at the others.

They nodded, and the four of them left, presumably to find the secret entrance.

Kotoko asked, "Do you have any definitive evidence that points towards a suspect?"

I turned to her, gave her a confident smile, and answered, "Fuck no."

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Naoya's Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

 **Obtained Truth Bullet! Hiro's Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.**

...

Kotoko and I found our way outside of the hotel where the others had gathered. Most of us were quiet; all of us had our handbooks. And from above, a giant airship dropped a ladder down. Obviously, Monokuma announced through loudspeakers to climb it before he dropped the thing down on our heads, and we did so.

As we reentered that giant room where we once saw Sheena whisked away, we found ourselves in front of sixteen jury stands. We each stood at the one assigned to us, presumably by random chance.

In clockwise order, it was; Shiori, Kotoko, Narutoya, myself, Hiro, Taka, Maria, Ryoji, Akira, Honoka, Aya, Ryuu, Kojiro, Sho, Kicho, and a crossed out picture of Michi. I winced when I saw it.

As we stood here on hallowed grounds, I knew that this was going to suck as Monokuma sat in his chair behind us all, grinning in our direction. Trial... Start.


	28. Holiday at Hotel Cecil, Trial

**Chapter One-Holiday at Hotel Cecil**

 **TRIAL**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I glanced at the other people in the room. Fifteen of us had walked in, and not everyone would make it out. That was a dark thought; even darker still that some sick bastard here orchestrated this game, potentially with Junko Enoshima herself. Why would they risk the end times because of our life ruining ways? What was the point in it all for our lives to end so cruelly?

Monokuma began, "Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for 'whodunnit.' If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person..." Monokuma stretched the last word out for emphasis, "I'll punish everyone *besides* the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this city!"

"This is just like in the recordings..." Ryoji offhandedly commented, "To think I'm here... My heart is beating so quickly..."

"Not for long if you mess this up..." Monokuma sung the phrase, earning Ryoji's burning glare.

Hiro scratched his head, "I don't understand anything about this trial shit..." He folded his arms, "You all can handle this shit anyways... I didn't even get to..." He yawned mid sentence, "Sleep..." He fell forward onto his stand, collapsing.

"Uh..." Honoka gave him an odd look, "Great... There's only fourteen of us..." She noticed that Sho was also face against his stand as well, "Thirteen..."

Narutoya adjusted his shades, "Twelve, unless the killer is a dumbass. Twelve of us to solve this murder... And Kojiro's usefulness is limited."

Ryuu stared down at his handbook, "Okay, then let's keep it simple for now. First, the murder weapon is obvious."

"The knife!" Aya announced.

"Exactly. The butcher's knife is effective and silent," Ryuu spoke his thoughts, "Honoka and I checked the kitchen and one of the knives was indeed missing. Akira confirmed for us, since she used it."

Akira added, "I used it to cut the chicken Maria ate, but it was missing when we checked. The weapon being from the kitchen means we all had access to it and there'd be no suspicion if we acted after hours."

"I'm not going to like this at all, but..." Ryoji spoke up, "Michi heard the elevator crash. That means she was outside of her room."

Kotoko nodded, "Yep! The girl's rooms are soundproof, like my old room was... No one can hear your pleas in there..." She stared off into the distance, remembering something I didn't want to know about.

I produced the note I found in her room, "This was in her room. Sho had the spare key and he lent it to me. You can read it for yourselves."

Ryuu read it aloud for everyone to hear, "She wrote... 'In case I am killed in action, let the record show that Kojiro Keigo is the infamous serial killer, Lorraine. I intend to capture him tonight with my ally. I won't identify them here, but they agreed to help. Sho was going to be our third, but he turned me down. He cares for me so much! When I catch Lorraine and get him to confess, I'm going to confess my feelings to Sho! That's the promise I made myself...' Michi's goal was to capture the serial killer, Lorraine."

Akira grinned, "Let me guess..." She focused on the injured man next to Ryuu, "Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman."

Kojiro glared at her, "What is it, Sanada?"

"Someone who can track criminals and escape the law. Sounds like Lorraine might have a job in law enforcement, don't you think?" Akira's suggestion wasn't one I'd never considered, but it wasn't pleasant to bring up, "You were trapped in the elevator, injured. If the killer wanted you dead, it would have been easy. Right?"

"The door wasn't all the way open, so-"

Maria interrupted, "Prying it open with a crowbar or even the knife wouldn't be impossible. And if you were so focused on your wound you didn't hear Michi get killed, they could have surprised you."

Kojiro grimaced, "That's... Even if that is true, why would that make me a serial killer?"

Akira pointed an accusatory finger, "I distinctly remember a lack of you telling us what the fuck you did to ruin a life. And Michi, the one who sought to capture him all this time, is dead."

Shiori came to his defense, "But Kojiro solves cases! He's the best officer in Japan! Why would he kill people!?" She pleaded with him, "It's a lie, right, Kojiro!?"

"Of course, this is nonsense. A man like myself seeks to uphold the law," Kojiro argued, "That's all I seek in life."

"I told you that being an officer meant you'd never catch everyone. Because of corruption, a broken system. You were removed from the force several times, but what happened next? A powerful politician or criminal was found murdered, Lorraine's calling card on the scene, and you get reinstated. This was a repeating occurrence, I found," Akira grinned and revealed her own investigative skills, "The newspapers left behind here were quite helpful to that end. Suspicious, isn't it? I told you that you couldn't catch them all, and then, a few months after Genji's death, Lorraine appears. Not unreasonable to suspect the only person here good enough to pull that off for so long."

Kojiro shook his head, "I am guilty because I'm competent at my talent? What kind of ludicrous logic are you leaping to, woman!?"

Maria followed up on her partner's advance, "The note said she intended to catch Lorraine, right? She must have set a trap. And other than the killer, you're the only one else out during the murder. Either you're the killer, Lorraine, or her supposed accomplice. And you were the only one trapped."

"Gh... Okay, maybe she did indeed trap me... But what if she was wrong? What if I, an innocent, was caught up in her games trying to play Ultimate Detective!?" Kojiro refused to back down.

Akira opined, "Really? Naoya, your turn. Explain your dream."

"Dream?" Shiori asked, somewhat confused.

I revealed my experience, "I had a dream as Michi, just like Sheena. She knew an alternative way downstairs, and she was shocked to find blood at the crash site. That tells me she never intended to kill you, Kojiro. So you are indeed her suspect," I sighed, "She also thought of her accomplice, how they likely killed her. But without any definitive proof, no names or anything, I can only speculate."

Ryoji nodded, "That makes sense, then. Michi suspected you and tried to trap you in the elevator."

"But how would she have done that?" Kicho asked, "I didn't participate particularly well in this game, but it makes little sense to me."

Honoka answered that one, "Well, the cables were severed. In most elevators, they have brakes. The car can grab onto the rails it's on, or in this case, it has small jutting parts that go into wedges on the way down to catch it."

"And if that happened, the elevator would be trapped between floors four and five, about five up from the basement," Ryuu added, "And I checked the shaft. Indeed, there were four holes. The side of the elevator had four small latches meant to grab hold of them and stop its descent."

"Meaning Michi absolutely intended to trap you in the elevator, not to kill you..." Aya continued.

Kojiro sighed, "Maybe that is the case, but it doesn't ensure my guilt. And whether I am Lorraine or not, that is false imprisonment without proof!"

Narutoya denied him, "There is no whether. You have no accounted connection to anyone yet, and have neglected to admit to it even now. You're very clearly Lorraine, and you're a poor liar."

"Ngh... Fine. I'll play along..." Kojiro smiled, but we could feel his angry aura consuming us, "I'm a serial killer who kills criminals that escape my ability to prosecute them, is that it? Would I really be the Ultimate Officer if I failed to get said conviction?"

"Yeah..." Kotoko sarcastically replied, "Because police officer and lawyer are the same. Arrests mean convictions guaranteed, am I right?" She shook her head, "That's stupid and we both know it. If you had a criminal in your sights and the government protected them, what other option could you take but vigilantism?"

Akira followed up, using the momentum to push further, "Putting all of this together suggests that you are. Unless you admit to whose life you ruined right now, and how..."

"Michi's dead because of her plan to catch you..." Aya sounded quite upset, "Ruin her life? You ended it too..."

Kojiro finally took the gloves off, throwing away his tie and ripping off his badge, tossing it to the floor with gusto, "Why would it even matter!? Justice is what I live for! Without it, we're just monsters! Everyone here is a monster! Who turned blind eyes to others in need! Who killed for their own selfish gain! Who hurt others out of petty anger! Why would you dare look down on me if I was Lorraine!? They never hurt innocents!"

Taka, who silently listened to all of this, finally spoke, "Because unlike you, we don't pretend we did good. We aren't standing before the rest of us..." He was trembling, his anger boiling up, "Lying to cover our own murders! Be a man and admit it, Kojiro! Or do even you know that you're no better than the criminals you chased!?"

"I'm nothing like them! I sought to help the world! I didn't take advantage of the poor! I didn't rig the systems! I don't start killing games like the mastermind has!" Kojiro was frantic, his bangs turned up as his eyes lit afire, turning a deep orange, "I don't kill innocents like the scum you and that Warrior bitch are!"

That was where I stepped in, "Shut the fuck up, Lorraine!" He glanced at me, "She at least apologized. She at least isn't running from our judgment! So why don't you act like an adult for once in your goddamn life and tell us the fucking truth!?"

Maria threatened, "Or should we solve this without you and then I cut your throat to be sure?"

"At this point, you're holding up the entire trial procedure..." Ryuu changed gears, "Kojiro's Lorraine. Ignore him for now. Michi's goal was to trap him, correct?"

"I am not-"

Aya yelled, "Quiet, killer!"

Kojiro's hair fell back down and he just turned his gaze to his feet, "If that's... really what you all would label me as... Fine. Do what you want."

Akira responded with savage intent, "Of course we are, Lorraine."

"Michi intended to catch Lorraine. She probably wanted to solve that long-standing case," I had talked with her about it in detail, during my free time, "Whether I believe Kojiro is guilty or not, let's assume that's the case. We have an accomplice she had; someone who knew about her plan. And we know how that person may have sabotaged it..."

Ryuu showed everyone a picture he had taken, "Here. This is from the mechanic's office. The place was torn apart. Michi didn't do this."

I nodded, "In my dream, Michi only needed the blow torch to trap Kojiro. It was a very simple and effective plan. And she saw Ryuu pick it up and knew where it would be."

"In addition..." Honoka spoke up, "The killer used the knife. The kitchen area was in a mess, but I was in there with Ryuu the evening before the murder, baking a pizza for ourselves. When we checked for the butcher knife, the entire holder for them was on the edge, nearly pulled off the counter. Whoever grabbed it was in a rush."

"The mechanic's office was in a similar state. However, that wasn't because they needed a weapon," I decided to clarify, "Someone searched for something to place in the openings in the shaft. If the elevator's latches couldn't break through what was stuck in them, they'd stop for a brief moment, a few seconds, and then plummet. In that time, Kojiro tried to open the door, and then it kept falling."

Ryoji realized something, "Ohhh... That was what Aya found in the shaft."

Aya cheered, "Right!? We found some car parts in the corners. One nearly fell on Ryoji's face. His scream was so high-pitched, I thought it was me!"

"That's not the point! Someone took car parts and placed them in the holes. This was enough to cause the elevator to fall, and for Michi, who had gotten on top of the elevator, to burn through the last cable with her torch and jump off..." Ryoji sighed, adjusting his ruin maniac hat, "Meaning whoever did that likely knew the fall wouldn't have killed Kojiro, and they could give Michi a chance to jump to safety."

Ryuu frowned, "Concerning. Only someone who knew intimately of Michi's plan could do that. Sho was out on the third floor not long after it happened, and him getting there so quickly is unlikely. If we rule him out, only the mysterious accomplice knows for sure about her plan. So... Who here is the accomplice? Any takers?"

"So Michi wasn't trying to kill Kojiro, right? Just capture him?" Shiori clarified, "And the accomplice sabotaged her plan... but didn't kill either of them? Why would they do that?"

"No fucking clue..." Ryuu shook his head, somewhat downtrodden, "I searched for clues, but I couldn't find anything."

I was trying to remember the scene of the crime, everything, "Sho!" Sho woke up suddenly, started.

"Whoa, dude... What year is it...?" Great, he was in stoned mode.

"Sho, Michi's dead, Stop playing around and tell me; did Michi mention a secret passage!?" I never asked him that directly, and I needed his information.

Sho struggled to think, "A what...? Secret passage? Oh... Right. Yeah, she told me about it. Said that if the plan failed, or Kojiro got down there but was trapped, we could confront him by going through the uh... Janitor's office?"

"The closet in the fifth floor girl's lavatory," I glanced at our headmaster, "You modeled it after Hope's Peak for a reference in case we paid attention, right? That's how Michi found it herself..."

Monokuma nodded, "I was so proud of her! I didn't think anyone played the first game besides those nasty weebs!"

Sho nodded, "Yeah... Dirty weebs..." Then he got back on track, "So the accomplice knows the passage... Could they have stabbed her?" His alertness returned, "Dammit... She didn't tell me, either..."

I nodded, "Yeah, she likely wrote it in her notebook," I held it up, "She took notes on everything, though. The last page was ripped out."

...

No. That was a defining point.

"Guys... Let me propose something," I asked, "Say the one who sabotaged the elevator didn't kill Michi. Say they were unrelated..."

"How would that even be possible?" Aya asked, confused, "Didn't they have to know about the passage?"

I shook my head, "If I was the accomplice, I could have killed Michi on the fifth floor and dumped her body on the elevator in the shaft right then. Easy escape."

Ryuu realized what I was implying, "...True. If that's the case, the accomplice didn't intend to kill them."

"No... It's much worse than that..." I had finally decided upon the most important clue. Michi's notebook, "I have to check..." I pulled out her notebook and tore it quickly, as fast as I could manage. The loud sound of tearing was enough to confirm my fears.

"Why'd you rip that?" Ryoji asked, confused.

Sho's eyes widened, "What, did you learn something?"

I pointed, "Ryuu, remember when we first entered the parking lot together? I think we took notice of the echo, right?"

Ryuu admitted, "Yeah. Noise bounces off the walls by the elevator. Pretty bad for acoustic purposes."

"Then Kojiro lied..." I turned on him, "You said in your testimony the killer was silent. But whoever grabbed the knife did so in a hurry. They grabbed it and ran. With how hastily they left the kitchen, they must have decided to kill last moment."

Honoka nodded, "That's... I guess I can't say it didn't look that way..."

"I get it..." Akira put the pieces together, "The killer hadn't intended to murder, and did so by chance that night."

I agreed, "Yeah... Since our objectives can't fairly include murder, they must have decided based on what happened last night... The only thing we know of is Kojiro's accident! And if they had to react from the time he crashed to the time we found him, they had barely any time to use that secret entrance. They had only a short time frame to sneak back up; when Sho, Hiro, and I found her body. Barely any time at all. Maybe four minutes..."

Ryoji sighed, realizing what that meant, "So they were in a panicked rush. If that's so, they didn't have time to leave and come back if they ripped the note elsewhere."

"And if they did it where they were in a hastened panic, Kojiro would have heard it," I glanced over at Kojiro, "Well? Did you really hear nothing or were you lying to us again?"

Kojiro rolled his eyes, "Why would I lie and get myself executed? That's nonsensical... And no, I heard nothing of the sort. It's not impossible to think they-"

"The climb up the stairs isn't short..." I shot back, "The climb upwards would slow them, and if they ran too fast, they'd trip. They didn't even fix the knife set afterward; that's how little time they had," I admitted, though I disliked the thoughts I had come to, "They didn't plan murder, either. So they weren't thinking to protect themselves. They were reacting... Reacting to your fall."

"That is not enough to convict someone of something like this," he rebuked me, "That's just circumstantial evidence. And if your theory is wrong, and they did sabotage the elevator as well, they could have-"

I turned my head, "The mechanic's office was a mess. I never understood why; if they planned around Michi's idea from the beginning, they could have also cleaned that up. No, I think that someone else placed the car parts in the elevator. Someone framed Michi as an attempted murderer and tossed the mechanic's room about to imply that the car parts or the blowtorch weren't easy finds. It suggested to us, if we hadn't been with Michi-" I pointed to Ryuu, "-that Michi could have been the one to tear it up. We know she didn't. Why would I plan ahead so carefully but leave messes?" I shook my head, "We assumed because of the knife set and the note being torn instead of just being stolen were hasty mistakes that the office would be, too."

Ryuu cursed under his breath, "So... The person who sabotaged Michi's plan knew that nearly killing someone in the elevator would set off the accomplice to kill!?"

"That's unsettling news," Kicho talked once more, having remained silent throughout this trial, just listening and observing us, "They knew about Michi's plan and that the accomplice would react in self-defense. If they thought Michi killed Kojiro, they'd be next because they know the plan."

I turned to Sho, "Sho clearly isn't the accomplice. He turned it down, and he wouldn't fear for his life," I sighed, wishing I had a better alternative, "He was on the scene, but he wouldn't have killed Michi and reacted like that."

"Then who did the killing?" Honoka asked, growing weary of the debating, "I'm totally lost!"

I faced Kojiro, "You heard the tearing, perhaps. And when you said you only checked your wound, you lied."

"How would you know that? What guarantee would you have?" Kojiro responded critically, "Without any proof, I have no reason to discuss this with you."

"Because there was blood by the door crack... How is that possible? You said you never tried to leave... You'd have bled inside where you fell." Kojiro's face blanked as I caught him in a lie, "And it was there outside the elevator... Right outside it. Like you had your leg against the door, looking out!"

Kojiro closed his eyes, "Is that your theory? I did leave, remember? I just bled on the ground then."

I shook my head, "It was in my dream, Kojiro!" I refused to budge, "Michi saw that blood, too! You must have been damn close to the door! And you must have heard the note, so don't stand there and tell me you didn't see the murder!"

"..."

Akira glared at Kojiro, "Well, Lorraine? What do you have to say to that?"

Shiori frowned deeply, "Kojiro... Are you really Lorraine...?"

"Shiori, is that relevant to this-"

"Don't lie to me anymore!" Shiori cut him off, "Are you really a man who kills people for his own sake of justice!? Did you lie to me when you said you didn't need a partner!?"

Kojiro grinded his teeth, "Shiori... I couldn't let you get involved in my work. I said it was dangerous, and I never lied about that..."

Shiori started to cry, "So Michi was right... Then." She bawled her hands into fists, "She suspected you and asked me about it! And when she accused you, I defended you! I promised you were not that kind of person!"

"Shiori..." Kotoko tried to stop her, but she continued.

"You lied to me, to everyone! Why couldn't you have been honest with me!?" Shiori was sobbing even harder now, "To think you'd..."

Sho gasped, "Shiori... No... You can't mean to say that..."

I sighed, knowing what I had to do, "Shiori, you're her accomplice, right?" No one said a word, "When Michi accused Kojiro, you defended him vehemently. Perhaps you even suggested to confront him, and Michi decided to play it safe. You agreed, but when the plan went wrong, you thought she was betraying you, trying to kill you both. And when you got the knife in case you needed it for defending yourself, when you followed her down there and saw Kojiro's blood... You feared for your life and struck."

Shiori didn't answer me, standing there, listlessly.

"Shiori..." Kotoko refused to accept that, "Shiori, tell him he's wrong! You and Michi, you were friends! You would never kill her!"

Maria interrupted, "Quiet, kid. She's an adult, she can defend herself."

Shiori finally spoke on her own behalf, "Michi came to me and asked me to help. She said I'd be the only one who Kojiro might not be willing to harm to hide his dirty secret... I thought we were going to catch him, and she'd be wrong... But then she jumped off that elevator and it fell, and I watched Kojiro, who had opened the door a crack, open his eyes in terror... He must have thought I betrayed him, was trying to kill him..."

I punched my stand as hard as I could. I wanted nothing more than to believe that it wasn't her. I wanted it more than anything I'd ever wanted in my life, but I knew reality wasn't kind to the broken ones.

"I demanded to know what was going on. Michi said I needed to go back to my room while she investigated. She said it wasn't safe... I thought that was a threat..." She wiped the tears from her eyes, her sleeve darkening from the dampness, "I ran to get the knife... I thought I might need it to protect myself..." Shiori stopped for a moment to breathe in deeply, then continued recounting the events, "After I followed her, and I saw blood... I thought Kojiro was dead... And I thought, if Michi intended for this, she was going to get rid of me too... And I couldn't let Sensei be murdered... So I attacked her..."

Honoka turned her head away, closing her ears off with her hands, "No, no! I don't want to hear this anymore!"

Shiori moved right along, knowing she had to confess, "I hit her in the chest by accident... I was shaky, and she was moving so suddenly that I thought I had to... I was never good under pressure..." She focused on her own feet, "That's why Kojiro hated bringing me along... I'm just a fuck up."

"You are not a fuck up!" Kojiro shouted, annoyed, "You're just too damn reckless sometimes! And I... Shiori, I told you not to confess!"

"I know! But if I wanted to be like you, if I wanted to pursue justice and be a hero to people... I can't let anyone else die for my crimes!" Shiori slammed her hands onto the table, "I can't be responsible for this after what I did to Michi!"

"Then it's true..." Narutoya sat his new set of shades down on his stand, "The one who sought to play detective played the killer instead..."

Shiori placed her handbook on her jury stand, "I... I panicked, and because of that... I killed a friend. I don't have the rights to be a detective anymore... Nor do I..." She shook her head and walked off from her stand to approach me.

"Shiori... Please don't..." I begged, pleaded with myself on what to do. To vote for her, to sell her out when I realized... But I knew that Shiori, the Shiori I knew, the Shiori I felt love for, would have wanted to have been caught.

"Naoya... I'm thankful that... that you spent the morning with me..." She hugged me, placing her head against my chest, "Let me hear your heartbeat one last time... Okay?"

I started to cry and hugged her back holding her tightly, "Shiori... Why...? Why didn't you tell me..."

Shiori was crying too, "If I just told you like I wanted to, you'd have turned me down for sure... And I just wanted to be with you, even for a single night..."

"Shiori... I... I really do care for you so much... I think I might love you..." I wanted to hold her forever, to never let go, "Why... Why does everything I care about leave me!?"

"I won't leave... I'll stay by your side, watching over you..." She gazed into my eyes and kissed my lips one last time, so gentle, like a flower, before pulling away, "But you have to vote for me... I did this, I confessed..."

Then she called out, "Kojiro... No... Lorraine Sensei... I know you might have done bad... I understand that..." She continued speaking even though she clung to me, barely able to see through her own tears, "I want you to survive this, too... Become a real Ultimate Officer... Stop your crimes and repent... For me... Please..." She let go of me and headed back to her stand, sniffling hard, "Now... Do what you all know you have to... And goodbye, guys... I... I love you all, I mean that... I was afraid to say it... I'm sorry... But I had to know. I had to know if Kojiro was..."

Kojiro started to cry himself and he pleaded, "Monokuma, is there an alternative!? Can't you just execute me instead!? It's my fault for this trial, too! I'm why this all happened!"

Monokuma shook his head, "No can do, Lorraine! The killer is the murderer here, clearly! You're just collateral..." he grinned evilly as he laughed, embellishing his joy to our chagrin, to our despair.

And like that, we had to vote. Nothing was said as we all put our votes in. As the slot machine spun and spun and landed on Shiori, coins overflowing from out of it as if we won the lottery, Monokuma jeered, "Looks like you got it right! The totally stupid Ultimate Meteorologist Shiori Tojiko colossally fucked up and accidentally murdered her best friend! And then she guilted her crush into loving her before dying anyways! What kind of cold, heartless person does that!?"

"Shiori..." I whispered to myself one last time, tears falling down my face.

Shiori walked over to Monokuma, not afraid of him in the slightest, "I might die here, Monokuma... But my friends, they'll survive. They won't be tricked by the mastermind again, I know that much! You won't ever win over us!"

Monokuma smirked, "Oh, but silly girl... We already have..." He pulled out his mallet, "If you're done, I think it's way past time for this again! It's... punishment TIIIIIIIIIIIIME!" He slammed down the mallet onto the big red button that appeared before him on a platform elevated from the floor, the annoying sound effects playing in the background. On another screen, Shiori appeared on screen as a pixel character as Monokuma dragged her off by her hair. Her little art sprite was crying, too.

The Ultimate Meteorologist's Execution! Burning Love Strikes!

That was the title that appeared as a door behind us opened. The light got brighter, and by the time any of us could see again, we glanced back to the screen. Tojiko was bound seated to the top of a giant metal heart, glancing down over the world below from outside the airship. She said nothing, just assuredly smiling, closing her eyes as she waited. The sky around her started shooting lightning downwards towards the ground, striking rooftops and even a water tower, shattering the wood and plunging the building in gallons of water.

Tears fell down her face as she stared in awe at the thundering sky and lightning struck towards her. It missed, hitting the heart, but the current traveled through her, and she started burning up from the intense heat. The entire time she was burned alive, though, she didn't stop smiling, one last tear falling from her face before her body slumped forward and she never moved again...

The screen turned off, and I slammed my hands onto the stand again, struggling to stand.

The others all reacted in their own ways. Sho waved goodbye, Ryoji and Ryuu clutched Aya and Honoka respectively, neither trying to shed manly tears. Kojiro stood motionless, his eyes fixated on the screen, lost in his own mind, in his own pain.

Taka and Kicho were silent, neither saying anything as they stood, stalwart and silent.

Within a few minutes, we were dropped down outside the hotel. The others tried to rally us to speak, but I ignored them; ignored their calls for hope, for moving on. It was all nonsense to me; white noise. I felt my heart shatter in pieces when I saw her body struck... I felt my soul leaving to join her in heaven, taking every good thing in this world from me.

As I arrived back outside my room on the third floor, I checked my pocket for a key... Instead I found two, and a small note.

I opened it up, and in handwriting I didn't recognize, I read it to myself. 'This is my room key. If you ever feel lost without me... Visit there, okay? -Love, Shiori.'

...

I reached the fourth floor after a few minutes in my room debating whether to visit now or later. Considering Monokuma's traps, I figured we'd get locked in the hospital next. I wanted to be in here at least once, in case I didn't make it...

I opened the door and noticed her room had all kinds of cute drawings. There were some of all of us; sometimes as chibis or stick figures. She had Maria bullying Ryoji, Akira drinking and talking shit to Narutoya. I noticed one of her and me, smiling and holding hands as we walked to the manga cafe. She had hearts all above her sprite there...

Then I found the book; the diary left on her desk. I opened it up and the first page caught my eye. 'To Naoya-kun... These were my thoughts during the game. I'm fine if it's you understanding how I felt... All those times we spent together... When you're done, check the closet, okay?'

What did that mean...?

I started reading through her entries, since they had been left for me. She mentioned how she and Michi nerded out about cool detectives like Kirigiri, or how Ryuu and Honoka had both asked her to playtest. She wrote about the pain she suffered, and how Honoka had profusely repented for using her likeness how she did.

She talked about me, and how she wished I'd see her as more than a little sister... She knew that I felt that way, huh? At first... I suppose I did.

She wrote about how cute Ryoji and Aya were together, or how Narutoya would stare at cat photos on his phone when he thought he was alone, or how Kicho and Taka had become confidants for each other behind the scenes... And she talked about Kotoko and Akira, and how she felt she could never compete.

'I hate that he spent so much time with Kotoko and Akira! How can I compete? Kotoko is adorbs and smart, and Akira's a real woman... I'm just a kid. :( No, I won't surrender my Naoya-kun! I will make him my husbando if it kills me! :D Is that a death flag? Oops .-.'

'He spent the night with Akira because of Honoka-chan! How mean! Why couldn't she do it for me!? Where was my wing girl!? :C Fine! I'll just have to step up my game, too!'

'I found a way to grab his attention today! I just need to get into the hospital... We have to escape the hotel somehow or I'll never win him over! D:'

The final entry seemed as recent as an hour or so ago, the ink on this page not even fully dried yet. She must have written this just before the trial.

'The trial is soon. I have to confess... But I need to know if Sensei is Lorraine or not... If they can't figure it out... We'll, I'll confess. And then I'll be executed... I just hope that Naoya can smile again. That's my favorite thing about him... Naoya... Please, don't stop smiling. Okay? If you check the closet, you'll see something you'll like. Cheer up! I'll be with you in your heart. Always... Officer Shiori, the girl who found her evidence.'

That was the end. Feeling on the verge of tears again, I walked to the closet and opened it, wondering what she had planned that would cheer me up so much...

Inside...

...

...

...

...

Was a nurse's uniform.


	29. When in Coma, Day Six

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Six**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I awoke on Shiori's bed, clutching her uniform in my hands, a death grip on it so tight my knuckles turned white. It smelled like her... and that made me long for her all the more.

I should know better than that... to fall in love, to care about the others. We were all going to die... No reason to grow attached, I told myself in my well of sadness, deeper than the ocean's... I promised myself to never let this happen to me again...

I had noticed some differences in the game we were in versus the older ones. Firstly, there was the lack of a Monokuma Theater. I didn't mind this, but any oddity had to be duly noted. I had taken to what Michi and Shiori would have wanted; recording my thoughts in the notebooks they left behind to solve the mystery in their stead. Beyond that, the executions had both been pretty brutal; as if this time, the mastermind sought to end our lives horribly, with a vivid and brutal end awaiting us all.

Next was the hospital that would be unlocked. Presumably, it was a trap. However, we had no other way to progress, either. That was when my handbook beeped. New objective...?

I glanced down at my bracelet and saw a small light had turned on; it was active once more, that told me. I checked my new objective and felt my heart stop.

'To master your cowardice further, you must continue facing your own fears. Now that you can face death in battle and trial, you must now learn to cope with others. Until the investigation starts, you must do anything that another asks of you. Fun, right?'

He was making me a god damned pawn! I threw my handbook to the floor in a fit of rage; that Junko bitch hadn't changed in the slightest! We were all just a game to her! Rehabilitation!? Facing our crimes and fears my ass!

No one could know; I had to agree, but I couldn't do it readily. Was intent to follow through enough or did I have time limits? I couldn't tell... I didn't want to find out the hard way, I thought grimly as my brain focused on the band around my leg.

I wondered what bullshit the others had to put up with... With the faint scent of strawberries wafting from my hair, I left Shiori's room only to find Taka, "Oh... Naoya. I was searching for you."

"Are we meeting at the hotel or the hospital?"

I assumed that would be the reason behind his search for me. I wasn't much worth finding otherwise.

"The hotel dining room," Taka answered, "Akira's afraid we might get trapped in the hospital."

True, Monokuma could pull that every time. Would that be all that interesting to him, though?

"Gotcha," I lacked my normal tone; I could not muster the strength to talk more like my old self.

Taka noticed my attitude shift, "Naoya, are you alright? Wasn't Shiori like... Well, Ryuu suggested you and her... got along well, know what I mean?"

I grimaced, "It's just..." I hesitated, "Taka, you lost Satsuki, right? How did you cope?"

"Cope? No, I didn't... I just fought back blindly and gave up hope... Still have. Satsuki's gone because of Ryoji..." he snarled in anger, "What good is hope to the broken ones like us?"

"But you had purpose, right?" I tried to cheer him up, "Like Lorraine does, you found injustice and tackled it yourself. Without you, how much more suffering would those bastards have caused!?"

Taka shook his head, "That kind of pitiful act isn't heroic... It's spineless. Cowardly..." He glanced up at me, "What could you know about cowardice so deep it swallowed you whole?"

"Yeah... Right?" I bit my lip, struggling not to cry as the faces of my parents flashed through my mind. That of Kotoko, sleeping gently, before thrashing about as nightmares overtook her...

"Akira wants you there, regardless. Her and Maria both asked for ya..." Taka shrugged, scratching his head, "I'm glad I'm not involved with girls like you or Ryoji... Ryuu and I, we're playing smart. We don't want to end up like Sho, and... Well, we both lost our lover once already."

I suppose he was right. Were I to lose Akira... No, no... I had to distance myself from her, just like she asked. What happened between us was Honoka's interference, nothing more. It was cruel of her to do that, though. Whenever I thought of abandoning Sanada-san... My chest grew tight, pain growing.

"Tell her I'll be there after I... I say my goodbyes..." I glanced over to Michi's room. I wanted to give her her notebook back, "You can handle that much."

Taka nodded, "Yeah, just rely on me... I'll help ya out, Naoya... You're one of the few people here that doesn't..." His sentence trailed off into nothingness, and he made his way down to the dining hall without another word. He was probably torn up over Shiori and Michi's deaths, still. We all were, but Shiori; she had a kindness about her that drew people to her, to protect her, to love her.

A dark thought surfaced in the back of my mind; if the world that survived Junko's despair caused such pain, such evil that Taka and Shiori had to act like that... Well, was it really worth saving for the ones who died?

I opened the door to Michi's room with Sho's spare and returned what I'd borrowed from her. As I glanced over her notes, a question came to mind; the mastermind... Who would it be?

Obviously, Michi would have known Lorraine's true identity if she was the mastermind, and Shiori's actions felt genuine, real. The latter too kind, the former too insecure to have been the true evil. I'd checked the records for our classes; there would be no twin shenanigans, no last minute family substitutions... So then who?

Kojiro was Lorraine, sure. The potential for him to seek justice against us would be reasonable...

I had scoured the killing games, the simulation, the original, and the proposed death order Shinji had mentioned to us. The 78th class killing game was public knowledge; information on the reformation of Despair was emailed to new students at Hope's Peak, and Shinji had left us a small document detailing the events of the 'Final Killing Game'. The first victim was always close to the group's leader; Sayaka and Chisa to Makoto and Kyosuke. Hinata had Togami, one of the two he'd spent extended time with; the other being Nagito, the almost first victim.

Second was a poor bastard tricked by the mastermind somehow; whether it was Junko betraying her sister, Mukuro, Daisaku's early game death because of his blatantly cheating forbidden action, Teruteru's being lied to by Monokuma and Nagito both...

Third... Leon Kuwata, Mahiru Koizumi, and Great Gozu. Three people who, in their own ways, held values. For Leon, wanting to escape but protect his friends... He didn't know they'd all die if he killed, too. Still a dick move, but not unforgivable. Mahiru pushed Fuyuhiko's back to the wall in that simulation; indirectly forcing his own guilt to eventually reform him. Gozu risked his life and betrayed Kyosuke to protect Makoto, an ally; an honourable and foolish goal to die for.

That meant the next to die in our group would likely be a good-hearted but misguided soul, or one who acted without thinking. Unfortunately, that could realistically be any of us... This rubric I'd developed wasn't perfect by any means, and the idea that I could mess this up horrified me.

Anyways, back to my allies...

Kojiro could be misguided, but he was quite selfish to pursue his own bloody justice. Narutoya had softened since Michi's death; whether it was due to his objective or the loss of life, I couldn't tell. Was it self preservation? Or was there more? Kicho barely involved herself in group politics despite her managerial skills. Part of it might be guilt over what she did to Honoka; or she feared playing the role of leader. That might get her killed, realistically speaking.

With Shiori and Michi dead and Sho's collapse of his more joking persona, I could assume he was innocent, too. Why reveal his true colours so early if he was the mastermind? He didn't inhibit our trial in the slightest, and he proved his feelings for Michi. Shinji never told us that our mastermind was despair, right?

That left ten; Hiro was good at heart, but he wasn't one to lie down and die. Neither were Aya or Akira. They could all protect themselves and grasp the full risks in their positions as well. Even if they did kill, Hiro wouldn't get away with it and Aya wasn't smart enough or evil enough to truly deceive.

Maria would hopefully temper Akira and vice versa; neither wanted the other to die, and I hoped that bond, no matter how much Monokuma inevitably tested it, would stay strong. It had to; I would grow close to them to protect that bond if needed. And speaking of people I'd die for... Kotoko... If I trusted anyone here, it was her. With her guilt, mastermind was a no go, and I'd kill before I let her end up a victim. ...I would, I think... As much as that depressed me.

Ryuu, Ryoji, Honoka, and Taka seemed like great suspects; neither too important or too background; and each had an interesting background that could suggest them making this game; much as I was loath to say it. Honoka and Ryuu's desires for ultimate games, Ryoji and Taka's exasperation with their cruel world...

Though if I suspect the latter two for that, I'd justly include myself; I too, had become fixated on the cruelties of the world, the negative energy diffusing through it, a day at a time.

Would I be the mastermind though? I mean, I'm me, but even besides that fact... I regret things in my life, yes. But more than the world, I resent myself. Even in this game, even when Shiori... was taken from me before my eyes, I still feel the same.

I shook my head free from the haze. Negative thoughts like that might tempt me, to hurt myself, or another. I had no intention of giving in, but I was only human, after all.

Exiting the room, I made my way to the dining hall to find the others all seated. Then I noticed an extra person.

Shinji was standing at the front, Akira by his side, "'Bout time, Naoya. Shinji here has some news for us..." Akira grinned, "We needed some progress after our ordeal..."

"Ordeal?" Shinji glanced around the room, "...That girl, Michi... And Tojiko, the meteorologist... Why are they absent?" None of us said a word, and I clenched my teeth, eyes closed in pain.

Shinji caught on, "Oh, I see... That's why Monokuma let you all out. That's troubling."

Sho piped up, "Don't remind us. Now talk. The rest of us want to hear your perspective from you personally, understand?"

"Don't be so combative," Shinji remarked, a serious expression adorning his grizzled countenance, "I'll try to summarize..."

Shinji discussed an insurmountable amount of details about his universe and ours. I'll shorten the exposition dump for my own sanity in recollecting these moments.

Long story short, there are three theories in time traveling that matter; the first is the theory that if an event that is important enough to shape the world in a drastic and immediate way is prevented, examples being Hitler's rise to power or the assassination of Inejiro Asanuma on live television, that the universe will conspire to create parallel events. If not Hitler, perhaps Mussolini or Franco or another would have kickstarted the greatest, deadliest conflict in human history before the Despair. Thus, when Shinji traveled through countless universes to off Junko or her successors, or even the entire list of possible masterminds, the world still fell into chaos and despair, the events growing in extremity with each attempted interference, each dead time line.

The second was multiverse theory; by interfering, he created countless new universes based on his actions, meaning that his own universe remained untouched by his efforts. This allowed him to time travel and to prevent events that would have encouraged his journey in the first place. The grandfather paradox is resolved; even if one kills their own progenitor in the past, it only affects the 'new' universe, not the one the traveler is from.

Shinji spent three years traveling, trying to create a timeline that wasn't destroyed. Inevitably, he settled on saving his friends post-Despair by dispatching the last member of Despair amongst them. This avoided the primary conflict from the first theory, right?

Wrong. Theory three; the butterfly effect. Changing the past can have numerous effects, both direct and indirect, on the future. Just because multiverse theory frees him from responsibility or paradox didn't ensure our safety. His actions prevented the Final Killing Game from reaching its true conclusion in our world. Ours was likely in place because of the first theory; a Final Game had to reach its conclusion.

"That's bullshit!" Hiro yelled the second Shinji finished dumbing it all down.

"Don't I know it...?" Shinji griped; even he was displeased, "I don't know how you're doing in the original timeline, universe one... I consider this universe 3, since it's the only one I found that didn't end yet. At least, for us on Earth..." He sighed, shaking his head, "Dead planets for millions of universes, even... How dreadful..."

Kicho agreed, "The thought is disheartening; to know that so many of our interdimensional selves have fallen..."

Shinji refrained from commenting on that, "I did check out my universe, universe 2. I went to see how Makoto's school was going... Needless to say, my choice to live ruined your lives as well."

"What?" Aya asked, confused.

"My survival, my attack on Future Foundation interrupted the Final Killing Game there as well. Because of that... you were all dragged into a game, just like this one," Shinji frowned, disgusted at the thought, "The mastermind was Sheena Midoriko, the Ultimate Biologist."

That earned a reaction from me, "That's not true! Sheena would never-!"

Shinji cut me off, "I witnessed with my own two eyes the horror..." He took a small pocketbook from his shirt pocket and tossed it to the table. As we passed it around, we looked on in total, unspoken horror. Kojiro and Michi were depicted before us, one murdered, one executed. Honoka and Aya were next, followed by pictures of Narutoya, Kotoko, and Kicho, The fourth case involved Ryuu and Ryoji, and in the last case, myself and Hiro were slain at the hands of Akira, who was executed just after. The survivors; Shiori, Taka, Sho, and Maria were the four survivors once the mastermind (Sheena) was summarily executed.

"This is... Horrible..."Aya blubbered. Ryoji put a hand on Aya's shoulder to comfort her.

Honoka scoffed, "The prude killed me? What attitude... Coming from the girl who swims late at night..." Why did that sound accusatory?

"Don't take this personally," Shinji stressed, "The reasoning, the events... They're not all that important. I just had to prove to you that... Well, that it was inevitable for you to be thrown into a killing game unless I had executed myself..." His hand gripped the table, "Junko really wanted me dead, huh? To think she'd make you all suffer indirectly over my survival..."

"If you went to live in universe 1, the original timeline..." Narutoya posited, "Or at least, the one most familiar, the one that ensured our safety... Why did you come to universe 3 first? Why not two? What motivated you to interfere again?"

Shinji remained silent for a moment.

Sho growled, "Talk, dammit! Michi is dead because of you, one way or another, right!? You owe me to tell us!"

"Several of you went missing from your class. I investigated on behalf of Makoto, and we found that one of the missing people had commandeered the time machine left at a mountain resort," Some of us gasped in horror or looked on in confusion, "I believe that one of you is actually from the original, first timeline... and that they are the mastermind..."

"That's crazy!" Ryoji shot back, unamused by his attitude, "What kind of bullshit excuse is that!?"

Shinji glared pure death at his opponent, "Then perhaps you can propose why one of you would send the others to death? You all have bones to pick with each other, right? But the class in universe 1 resolved it, for the most part... Sheena's motivation in universe two was... Well, we never learned it. We found a girl, likely her sister, brought back from death and hooked up to life support in an abandoned building near the killing game, but she could barely speak. Wouldn't, to us anyways... We did discover her notes in a secret room at the school. Those notes suggested that... That she may have interfered with this timeline somehow... I think... that..."

Ryuu put two and two together, "Our Junko is from Sheena's evil timeline?"

He nodded, "The way our time machines work is that a timeline has to be registered to its domain. The time machine in universe two, mine, was stolen, and though it was connected to millions of universes, all were dead save for universe two..."

"And ours..." Ryoji finished the sentence himself.

"Why did you leave it behind?" Taka spoke up, curious to his intents,

"I traveled with my Sh... I went to a classmate of mine in timeline 1, Shinju. I returned my machine to universe 2 using its auto pilot to ensure it wouldn't be misused, and then left with her. We made a place for ourselves, for our family, in universe 1..." He smiled fondly, glancing at his hands, covered in worn black gloves. "And I forgot about it. If Sheena, in her evil form, revived Junko somehow, she would have stolen my old machine and traveled to here; the last timeline open to her. Now she's working with whomever came from universe 1 to create this game..."

"But why the fuck would anyone work with that bitch!?" Sho exclaimed angrily, not understanding at all.

Shinji theorized, "If I had to guess, one of you in universe 1 wanted to escape, to leave that world behind for one reason or another. I can't say for certain who. They stole the time machine and came to universe 3, here, because it was the only one it was connected to..." He sighed, "I used Shinju's time machine to get here. They must have sent it back on autopilot, just as I had. Almost like they didn't care if they were found out. But I realized it was located in a different part of the resort on its return and checked its usage history."

"So they didn't intend to cause this game, right?" Honoka was confused, "So are they really bad?"

Shinji shook his head, "Considering the facts, if one of you is the mastermind, that means one of you is a fake. Or at least... a 'different' you. And the original is missing." he added, "I suspect they've been killed already. And for that, I apologize..."

"One of us is a killer, then!?" Aya shouted out in surprise and abject terror.

Ryuu adjusted his glasses, "Preposterous. We should have noticed something by now to implicate them. Or they could even be dead, were Michi or Shiori the one replaced..."

Narutoya observed something odd, "You suggested Junko and our traitor are collaborating... But how could it be Junko, if her body was lost to time, to her own minions? Sheena needs a body to reanimate, correct?"

Shinji grimaced, "Discounting Junko Enoshima, do we even know another Junko? Perhaps Sheena created a new body, an artificial one... That's not all you want to ask, right Nobunaga?"

Nobunaga-kun nodded, "So perhaps Junko in an artificial body, crafted by the Ultimate Biologist herself... Intriguing. Now, how would anything you have said suggest that Junko and our mysterious time traveler are cooperating, conspiring against us? Could it not be unrelated?"

"At first, I wanted to think that..." Shinji shook his head, "But if Junko was brought back, brought here, she has to have a plan, right?" The others nodded, "I never understood Sheena's motivation to revive her. But what I do know is that Junko is insane, and evil... And she probably wants revenge towards Makoto. But even if that is why she's forcing you all to play, we know better than that."

"She has bigger goals than just killing us for despair, right?" I spoke up for once, "Our revenge motive, the lack of hope-hating soliloquies, no theatres this time... Junko's motive is shifted, now..."

Shinji shook his head, "Then let's determine... Whoever is from universe one, whoever stole our machine... Come forth and be free of the suspicion we have towards you."

Obviously, no one did.

"Either they wish to hide that they murdered their other self..." Narutoya proposed, "Or they indeed are the mastermind."

"From what I can gather... Junko wouldn't have come here if she wanted to kill Makoto, to get revenge... Universe 2's Makoto is alive and well. But instead she came here... And to her convenience; or perhaps, according to plan, someone from universe 1 arrived, alone, lost, rejected," Shinji fully explained his reasoning, "Suddenly a new killing game begins, and when I arrive to help, my friends from this universe are already endangered... No, someone planned for my arrival. They knew I'd be coming, and used that to their own advantage..."

Narutoya clicked his tongue, "So the person from universe 1 must have mentioned things to Junko, and she tricked them somehow?"

"Not likely," Ryuu argued, "They would know Junko's legends. They should know better. No, it's likely that whoever teamed up with her had intent to use and be used by her... They wanted this, to lure Shinji here... But why?"

Shinji winced, "Theory one says reasons. But even if I could figure it out, Junko would kill you if I tried to spoil information that imperative... You all will have to play her little game and see for yourselves what her goal is. I'm still trying to break you out, but... Well, things are looking grim on that front. We've been unable to lift the siege of the city by her new Monokuma armies... Makoto is trying to save you guys, but..."

"That's enough..." Akira took a long drink from her flask, "That's all we needed to know. That you're out there, doing something... We'll think hard on what you told us, okay?"

Shinji nodded, and bid us farewell when none of us had any questions left for him.

"Not buyin' that bullshit. Time travel and multimedia verses or something... Hell no." Hiro shook his head in disgust and disbelief.

Maria was eating cashews from a bag casually when she replied, "What, you think Shinji's the mastermind? Trying to, like, get us to distrust each other?"

Narutoya nodded, "Not an invalid theory to start with. Considering Monokuma's behaviour, I sincerely doubt that Junko Enoshima herself is running this game. However, only time can tell... She is a master manipulator, after all."

"Why would someone steal one of our places for a killing game?" Aya was puzzled.

Honoka chuckled, "Maybe Kojiro wants to see justice firsthand, even if it's not by his own hands... What do you think, Lorraine?"

"Do you mock me?" Kojiro responded, his lip curling into a frown as he leveled his eyes with her, "If I wanted criminals like that academic or that Hope Warrior dead, I'd use this..." From his sleeve he revealed a long indented dagger, the initials K K engraved on the side in brilliant steel painted white, "And I'd strike Despair down if I ever met her..."

Akira seemed unamused, "Put the blade away, dumbass..." Kojiro glanced over, and Akira repeated herself, "Away. Now. Before I have to blacken myself..."

Kojiro did so, albeit with suspicion, "I hunt criminals, not school children. And most of us here wouldn't deserve this fate... Shiori and Michi, most of all.." He trailed off, a single tear running down the side of his face. He faced Honoka again, "Don't dare make light of her death by accusing me... That image of her, burning... Will haunt my nightmares until I die... I told her this job was dangerous!" He slammed his fist onto the table, the force reverberating through the mahogany wood, "Why didn't she ever listen to me, god dammit!?"

Taka put a hand on his arm, "Calm down, Kojiro... We get it. You thought of her like family... Don't take it out on yourself..." He removed his glasses and put them in his shirt pocket, "We'll be here for you... Most of us, right?" When none of us spoke up, he added, "Would any of you want to be left behind? Because you killed?" Kotoko, Akira, and Hiro flinched, "Because you hurt people? Would you really accept losing everyone you love?" Ryuu, Ryoji, Aya, and I shook our heads in refusal at that one, "You'd fight like hell... That's what Ultimates do. We can't just surrender... We have to rise above this!"

Kicho, who normally kept quiet in these tumultuous group meetings, smirked, "It's interesting, to say the least. Japan has Ultimates, but other nations? Well, every country has had excellent individuals, but so many Ultimates have appeared here..."

"What are you on about?" Sho demanded.

"Our society prides itself on group progress. We devalue individual accomplishments and are willing to breed for better children..." Kicho spoke softly, "Togami is an example; but all esteemed families have done this. If genetics plays any factor in Ultimates, then we, those raised and chosen by the school to be placed on a pedestal, are certain to spread our own genes."

Aya shrugged, "That sounds complicated, doesn't it?"

Kicho folded an arm under her breasts and held her left cheek with her free hand, "Japan has been breeding for Ultimates, for talents. Because of that, we have exceptional people. Smart, like Taka, Ryuu, or Michi. Ones who can perform physically, like Hiro, Aya, or Kojiro. We have explorers like Maria, Ryoji, and Akira, and we have the dreamers; like Honoka, Shiori, and especially Naoya..." I felt awkward when she said that so passionately, "And then there's the people who understand and empathize with others. Shinji, Narutoya, myself, Sho... and Junko."

"What are you implying?" Sho asked, sounding distressed by her associations she was drawing.

"If you think about it like that, some Ultimates have to be evil, right? They have to be bad people, whether they were raised a certain way or abused..." Hiyoko and Mikan came to mind, "Is it not inevitable then, to think a master manipulator would eventually make their way to Hope's Peak? And a place with so much hope, why... Destroying it would be despair-inducing..."

Narutoya understood, "So you saw Junko's rise to power as an inevitability. Because they vetted talent over morals, they even permitted Nagito to remain after a terrorist bombing of the school..."

Kicho nodded, "And if someone amongst us has us around their fingers, masquerading in our universe, they must also be the same. Someone here is like Junko; a warped, manipulative, plotting bastard..."

"Reasonable assumptions, considering..." Ryuu sighed, "Not that it's fun to consider my friends as evil masterminds, but that's the point of these games, isn't it?"

Kicho pointed to Narutoya, "Will you tell them now, or shall I?"

"Whatever do you mean?" He acted coy.

"Ultimate Telemarketer? No, we shouldn't buy that. So why did we...?" Kicho shouted, "You're not the Ultimate Telemarketer... No, the only person who could convince the Board of Directors, my confidants and allies, that I would ever be misusing the business... is an Ultimate Manipulator. An Ultimate Liar, maybe... No mere telemarketer could convince just anyone to go along with what he says..." She smirked, "Newspapers claimed he had reformed from his business venture without any doubt. His takeover was lauded as freeing my employees from my cruelty... Even to my face... They all took your words, not mine..."

Narutoya adjusted his sunglasses, "Kicho, being upset over the past isn't a valid reason to accuse others."

Kicho's hand curled, "Then I'll rip the truth out from your corpse, you son of a bitch!"

She lunged for Narutoya, screaming his name in pure hatred.

Akira grabbed her and held her down in a headlock, even as Kicho grabbed at Akira's face and arm with her sharpened nails, "Calm down, princess! We're not doing another trial this early!"

Ryoji agreed, "Yeah, it's not even noon..."

Aya sighed, "Not what he meant, babe."

"Babe?" Hiro asked, confused.

Well, that's awkward. Great game, Aya. Flawless execution of that reveal. I'd clap for you were Kicho not struggling to kill Narutoya as I thought about all of this.

"Ignoring the peanut gallery," Ryuu said, also displeased at our group's infighting, "Can we cooperate for a single day? Are we investigating the new locations unlocked or not?"

Akira decided for us, "Hiro and Sho can scout them out. No one moves ahead. For today, we should just rest and cool off. Before we do anything stupid..." Akira released Kicho from her grip but stayed close to her, wary of her, "Your room, princess. Now."

Kicho sighed in defeat, taking out a small acting fan and waving it across her face, "If you insist... But understand Narutoya... Chosen by God, but nothing more than a dog... Karma will find you in the alps, one day..."

"Ha... I get that reference..." Honoka chuckled, amused.

Taka interjected, "Seriously, enough. Kicho, just... leave him alone."

"Why are you defending him?" Hiro sounded both confused and annoyed, "That bastard's just insulted you since we met.

"That's..." Taka shook his head, "Murder isn't the way to go, no matter what he's done... I know that now..."

Way to make it awkward. Now what the hell can we say!? In that silent atmosphere, we slowly trickled out to our rooms.

I had some time to kill, so...

 ***Free Time Engage***

Looks like we still had some daylight...

 ***Free Time Engage***

That evening, I retrieved food from the hotel kitchen early and returned to my room.

Or I tried to.

"Dreamer, you're with me." Maria grabbed me by my collar and dragged me to another room. Inside the room already was Taka and Honoka talking, along with Ryoji and Aya whispering to each other over something.

"Welcome to the group of underrated players, Naoya. The six of us are the weak links, here." Maria calmly explained.

Ryoji protested, "A weak link!? Now that's just a dick move..."

Maria sighed, "Shut it!" Ryoji quieted himself, afraid of Maria's volatile tantrums, "I gathered us 'cause we're the losers, the weaklings, the forgotten, the broken... Taka gets taken advantage of and talked over, Aya's lacking in mental capacity at times..."

"That's not nice to say..." At least Aya knew she was being mean.

"Ryoji's a punching bag when Taka's busy, Honoka's never taken seriously by anyone, and I... Well, I'm just Akira's tag-along here, aren't I?" She wistfully spoke, deriding herself with that last line, "Finally, Naoya's... Well, he's not smart or cool or talented... He's the average loser here."

"Thanks, Maria. I love it when you break whatever self-esteem I can build for myself. Yeah, no, that's great..." I sarcastically responded in a mocking tone.

"But why are there only six of us?" Honoka asked, speaking up, "Wouldn't it be better to do halfsies?"

Maria sighed, "Well, I did invite Kotoko, but she's not-"

"Sorry that I'm late!" Kotoko exclaimed as she nearly fell through the doorway running inside, "I was fixing my hair, that's all!"

I observed that part of the eyeliner she wore to accentuate her pretty eyes had run a little, "Sure you weren't crying?"

Kotoko tilted her head, "You did, too... We all liked Shiori..."

The silence started to grow. Eventually, we had enough, "So why invite us together?" Ryoji asked, "Is this an excuse to bully me?"

"Like you matter that much..." Taka shot back, reacting in a way he normally wouldn't, "Why us and not the others?"

"Well, that's easy..." Maria smiled, "Akira's our leader, Kojiro's a powerful player, evil or not... Hiro and Sho both have these weird sides to themselves, like they're not being wholly honest with us..."

Honoka actually agreed, "As if hiding something. Sho's facade broke when Michi died, and he's displaying his intelligence. If he hid it before, he might be trying to hasten his own death to rejoin her..."

"Suicide by luring an attacker..." Taka whispered, "That's sad..."

Maria continued after we stopped interjecting, "Kicho and Narutoya are at war, and that'll make them central to a murder or two, I think. And Ryuu... That smug bastard's too analytical about all this, like it doesn't concern him... He didn't hesitate to sell any of us down the river if it meant increasing odds of survival..."

"That's just being realistic," Ryoji defended him, "He doesn't intend to hurt others... Really."

Kotoko actually agreed, "We need to be honest with each other or we might lose a trial. Whatever goals or beliefs or feelings we have, we need to cooperate."

"Which is why we are here. The seven of us are going to band together, alright? The others are our enemies, the ones most likely to kill or be killed. We're like a classmate watch... Or something," She trailed off, confusing herself with the neighborhood watch comparison.

Kotoko smiled and jeered, "Can we have matching outfits!? We'll be like superheroes or hall monitors!" She posed, directing her index finger towards me, "Stop right there, criminal scum! You have violated the law!"

Honoka snickered under her breath, "He'll violate even more if you let him..."

That line made me turn away in embarrassment, and Kotoko blushed and shook her head. "That's lewd, Honoka! You get a penalty!"

And thus, the Dysfunctional Seven were formed... And then I went to bed. Seriously, could this get any weirder?


	30. When In Coma, Day Seven

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Seven**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I woke up early today to the sound of that haunting morning announcement. I had a feeling today would be a relatively murder free one, but that didn't mean it was good.

No one else was at the table where we met, except for a tired-looking Ryuu, "What's up with you?"

"Up all night playtesting... Hard to get the game to work... So. Many. Glitches..." He stuttered, his eyes wide in abject terror.

"And the others?" I asked, hesitantly.

Ryuu sighed, "Maria came up and...gathered all the other losers, or scrubs, or whatever she called them... So why aren't you with them?"

I shook my head, "I don't know..."

Akira walked in behind me, scaring me, "Where are they, Ryuu?"

"Said they'd be late... Had to discuss somethin' 'bout politics... I didn't care to eavesdrop..." Ryuu fell onto the table headfirst and started snoring softly.

And just like that, we slowly gathered, and when all fourteen of us were seated, Akira led the meeting, "Before we get down to business..."

"To defeat the Huns..." Ryoji muttered under his breath.

Akira ignored him, "I'd like to thank Ryuu and Naoya for helping us throughout the trial. Without them, we might have lost. I'm not calling Tojiko an enemy, per se, but she did present a problem... And I'm sorry that she... That that happened on my watch. That's why I'm stepping down as your leader."

"What!?" Maria exclaimed the loudest, "B-but you've been doing perfectly!"

"Then why is Michi dead?" Akira replied sourly, a dour expression on her face, "Why did a murder happen if I've done any good!?"

Maria argued, "We're still alive, aren't we!? How could you have controlled everyone!? Planned around that!?"

Akira shot back, "A worthy leader would have pulled that off! I'm no good for this role... Some punk living off the streets learning dance moves to impress some common thugs isn't the person you let rally your team to!"

"Then who would you elect!? That murder cop!?"

Kojiro raised an eyebrow, unamused by her insult.

"He does have leadership experience..." Aya dryly replied.

Kotoko shook her head, "Can we not joke when an argument is happening? We're not kids..."

"Not anymore..." Ryoji whispered, a grin on his face before Aya looked at him, killing it instantly.

Hiro nudged Ryoji, "What did you and Aya get up to, huh?"

Aya, blushing furiously, jumped up from the table, "We need a new leader then! What say you, Kicho? Narutoya? Anybody?"

"I don't trust that scum..." Kicho clicked her tongue.

Narutoya sighed and scratched the back of his head, a sign of hesitation he never really displayed before, "That's fair... Just don't attack me again."

I noticed a bruise above his right eye. Was that her? Did she assault him?

"Ryuu could do it, maybe..." Honoka suggested, slightly embarrassed to be the one to bring it up. Ryuu didn't respond, passed out onto the table again, "Then again..."

I folded my arms together, "Maybe Maria? I could see her filling in for Akira well."

Maria's face tensed as she agreed readily, "Really? Sounds great, yeah..." Her voice was higher-pitched than normal, "Why not me? I'll do it."

"Great, that's resolved..." Taka sighed a big breath of air, "Are we exploring the hospital today or what?"

"Oh, yes..." Maria nodded, "It's unlocked now. Let's go there, but... But someone has to stay behind. Otherwise we might get locked inside."

I raised my hand, "I'll do it." If I do, they can't order me around.

Maria jumped on that opportunity, "Great! Naoya stays behind. Anyone else volunteer?" She didn't even wait, "I'll stay behind too, just in case!"

Sho interjected, "We need our leader on site, don't you think? Leave Akira behind, since she's so done with this."

"I didn't ask you to try to help, Takeda," Akira threatened, "Stay out of my business."

"Your business is why Michi is dead," Sho fired, "Believe me, I'd love to watch you up and die to a trap. But I have to worry about me now. Like you have your whole life."

Akira shifted in his direction, standing and sliding forward, "Run that by me again?"

Sho grimaced, "All you do is look out for yourself, huh? Don't care how Maria feels about you quittin'. Don't consult us. It's all about you, girl. That selfish bullshit is all you're good for. An attention grabbing bitch."

"What!?"

"'Wah, I suck so much. Everyone look in on me and pity me,'" Sho frowned to mock her, "Get the fuck over it. People die. My brother died because of that fuckwit right there..." He pointed to Hiro, "And god knows how many people that bitch killed." He pointed at Kotoko, "All people do is destroy everything that others build. Kicho tearing down Honoka's dreams... All of you killing Shiori just to survive..." Kojiro winced, pained to hear that brought up again. "Humans are selfish creatures."

I tried to calm him down, "Sho, man... Come on, there's no need to-"

Sho cut me off, "Why don't you let Kotoko get raped again and talk that good shit of playing nice?" The entire room froze, "Yeah, I know 'bout your little dream. How you ruined her life. You proud of that? Huh?"

I bit my lip until it bled, and fell in silence.

"That's what I thought." Sho stood up from his chair, "We're all here 'cause we did something wrong to another. Michi is dead because of me... Because of us. Don't forget it next time, kiddos." He said that last bit in normal stoner tone as he walked out, like he didn't fuck us up emotionally.

"What is he like sober?" Akira asked, eyes widened in confusion and anger.

Ryoji shook his head, "Maybe not a bad guy?"

"Tch. Doubt it," Honoka spat.

Akira shook her head, "Who wants to follow him?"

"I will..." Kicho volunteered bravely, or perhaps foolishly, "I can withstand such harsh language..."

Honoka thought to herself what to do, "Whom shall we accompany?" She was putting on noble airs, using such particular language.

I sat back, just watching. Maria nodded. We were staying behind together. The gleam in her eye worried me, though...

Kojiro closed his small booklet he carries everywhere, "I will take Honoka, then. I need to discuss with her... About... My former apprentice..." His voice cracked slightly, and the room's mood went south.

"...Alright, Kojiro."

Ryuu stood up, "Honoka, can you really trust a guy like that!? Honestly, he could set off and kill any one of us for his own warped justice!"

"I'll start with the actress if it comes to that..." Kojiro warned.

The room slowed to a halt. Time stopped. For whatever reason, an intense headache overcame me.

An image flashed in my head, ever so fuzzy... A voice, possibly male, shouting at me... What it said...

"I'll fucking end her! I know what she did!"

...Was that... Kojiro? Sho? ...I can't tell. As if my mind would rather live in ignorance... I wondered if our memories might have been altered in some way... Perhaps the mastermind that replaced one of us did this... To ensure our inability to tell they were... off. Some of us, most of us knew at least one person beforehand... But if I'm the one experiencing this... Does that mean someone close to me? I glanced at Hiro, Kotoko, Maria, Akira... Ryoji, Ryuu... No, everyone here matters. Then it must be the same for all of us...

I'll have to ask Maria when we're alone next. She might help me out...

Kojiro and Honoka had already left when I finally regained my senses. Kotoko gave me a worried expression, "Oh... Just a little headache, that's all. Ever since..." I couldn't bare to say her name. Shiori...

She was dead.

Because of me...

Hiro jumped up so quickly that his chair toppled over, "Enough... Enough of this! I'm still angry at that bastard Sho... Saying whatever he wants... Narutoya, come with me."

"M-me? Whatever for?" Narutoya noticeably sweat in fear.

"You're smart, yeah? Help me think of a way to get that bastard to calm down... You convince people to buy crap they don't need. Maybe you can convince him to remember to cooperate with us." Hiro spoke honestly.

"Like convincing a housewife of some new vacuuming machine, both are worthless in the end..." Taka tacked on in a depressed tone.

"Never mind that..." Hiro grumbled, "If we get down now, we'll never escape!"

Narutoya adjusted his shades, "You are aware no one does, right?"

Hiro refuted that, "Shinji got out."

"That's... a special case..." Akira replied, mulling her own chances over.

"Let's just... go." Narutoya finally offered a response. Hiro smiled and the two headed off, Hiro leading a one-sided discussion on their future plans.

Taka offered, "Ryoji, would you like to join me?" Ryoji's eyes widened and his face grew pale, "We have something to discuss, yes?"

Ryoji gave Ryuu and I desperate eyes to save him. I shrugged, unable to bail him out due to my staying behind. Ryuu reacted differently.

"Have fun, Ryoji." Ryuu waved, though even he must have felt more than guilty at what he was doing. Especially considering he's why Ryoji was here in the first place.

Taka and Ryoji left, leaving Ryuu, Akira, Kotoko, and Aya left.

Aya sighed, "I think... I'll go with Akira. She seems dependable. We can clear any Monokumas in between."

"Agreed..." Akira grinned, a dark shade overcasting most of her face, except her bright smile, "I'd love to teach that bear a lesson..."

Ryuu scratched his head, the bags under his eyes growing heavy, "Then Kotoko is with me... Woo..." He nearly fell over again, and Kotoko escorted him out to the streets on her shoulder. What an utter goof...

With that, I was left alone with Maria. Not that I disliked her or anything; it was because our relationship had been odd lately ever since that night of truth or dare. As long as she didn't ask, I was fine.

"Naoya... I wanted to ask..." Maria played it coy, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice, "Did something happen between you and Akira?"

'Fuck you', says the universe.

I sighed, "Sort of... During that game of truth or dare... Honoka spiked Akira's flask... and my drink. And we sort of ended up..."

Maria nodded knowingly, "The good old aphrodisiac prank, huh? I did that to Akira once. She gave me a black eye and a bloody nose... That's when I first tried to get her and Genji together you know?"

"Haha... Really?" I knew some things about that, but... "That's surprisingly childish of you... Overruling someone's wishes to get the ending you want..."

Maria gave me a deadpan look, "I'd do anything for the ones I love, Naoya. Even if it's wrong... Even if they hate me... I would do anything for them at all..."

That gave me an immediately foreboding vibe, "Even... kill?"

"Killing isn't that hard to do..." Maria plainly said, "Kotoko may have killed my family, you know? Because of what you did..."

Damn it, Sho... Now you have these thoughts in our minds again... What if someone kills because of what you said...?

Then again, when Sho left... No, since Michi died... Has he cared? Maybe he just wants us all to fight. Or at the very least, he might want Kojiro dead...

Maria spoke again, "As for losing my family... I have an idea to fix that... But I need help."

I remembered my current objective. Questions are fine, probably, but demands? I have to obey... At least for now.

"Can I help?"

"Yeah... If you would... I need you to-" Maria cut off herself when Ryoji arrived.

"Sorry... Guys..." He was panting heavily, struggling to breathe, "Monokuma won't even let us in if we're not all together... It's just like last time."

Maria pondered that note, "The risks are too great. We'll be given a motive the second we go in. We have no choice but to stay out."

Ryoji sighed, "Figured... I'd rather not go in, honestly... I'll get the others."

We all gathered in the dining room hall in the hotel once more.

"We have to go in..." Hiro urged, "Anything new could help us escape!"

Akira sighed, "And get trapped until a murder occurs? Think with your brain for once."

Narutoya played neutral, "We should sleep on it, at most. Making rash decisions will only put us at a disadvantage."

"Against the mastermind amongst us, we certainly stand no chance," Kicho offered a bleaker perspective, "They already manipulated that idiot meteorologist into killing... As long as we have dumber people here, we remain unsafe... Perhaps we should lock them up, or perhaps... We should get rid of them ourselves."

Maria shook her head, "The fuck are you on about, you stupid bitch!?"

Kicho gave an evil smirk, "We can't have people like Hiro or Sho running around. Best we deal with them now... Permanently, if we must."

Hiro stood up, "Wanna go?"

I jumped in between them, "Kicho, he's not doing anything wrong, has he!?"

"The second murders in the first two killing games were both the end result of letting a violent fuck be loose. Especially a stupid one. Mondo, the Yakuza... Hiro would fit well."

Ryuu sighed, "He does admittedly fit that pattern, but we can't punish him for that."

"Drop it..." Kojiro brandished his gun, "Or things will get ugly."

"Ahahaha! Look, the selfish serial killer wants to play nice now!?" Kicho mocked him, "Had a change of heart since that dumb fuckin' slut died for you!?"

"What did you just..." Kojiro lurched towards her.

Kicho chuckled, "It's no wonder Honoka's game about her sold so well. Maybe she was just a slut, ashamed her true nature got out... Maybe Ryuu's girlfriend wouldn't have had to suffer over her had she just accepted the fucking she must have wanted, deep down..."

Kojiro's hands turned white as he gripped her around the neck, "I'll end you myself! Manage a store with a crushed windpipe, then!"

"So the SK wants to kill the escort... Everyone would know you did it..." Kicho laughed, "Want to die and rejoin her so badly? Then do it..."

"You don't get to talk about her name with that sick tone of yours! I'll rip your vocal cords from your chest!"

Kicho smirked as she struggled to breathe, "You know what I realized, being here? The fact you all forgave Narutoya... You're all no better than he is... Or maybe you're under his control."

"Control?" What did she mean?

"He's not a telemarketer... He's the Ultimate Manipulator." We all looked at Narutoya, who just stood there, looking at the floor, "He's probably the mastermind even now. Maybe he even urged Michi to set up that plan..."

Narutoya shook his head, "I wouldn't ever participate in a game like this!"

"But if you were the only survivor, that would do wonders for your career. Maybe you came to this timeline to kill versions of us you don't have to like." Kicho spouted a new theory, one that didn't really seem impossible. If someone came here to engage us and no the originals in the killing game, they might be intending just that. To live a better life here...

Kojiro dropped Kicho to the ground, "What a pain..." He stalked off, "Are you purposefully trying to set us off?" Kicho rose to her feet, unfazed, that smirk still on her face.

"Kicho... What happened to you?" I asked, wanting an answer. This tone shift was quite sudden for her...

Kicho's face turned blank, "What do you mean? You don't know the real me. You can't. That is a barrier not meant for people like us to be crossed. Sho was right; we're all just monsters under the guise of people So I'll drop the act..." She raised her hand to her side and traced the lines on her palm, "We only have limited time, yes?"

"I meant to rethink your actions..." Sho urged, "Not to flip out on us..."

Her eyes turned starkly crazed, a golden light replacing her normally beautiful eyes, "Kicho Taika is more than just a store manager... I am the harbinger of a new world... My entire life, I've been called upon for my beauty... Dehumanized over it. Relegated to the status of minor idol for losers like Ryuu and Taka to jerk off to because they can't handle real women..."

"That's not true!" Ryuu replied angrily.

Honoka darkly joked, "Taka had enough of that from his school system, I bet..."

Taka winced at the thought.

"For too long, I have been treated like an object by the masses... Forget all that..." She gave us a crazy smile, one that put fear in me, "I welcome the Second Coming of Junko Enoshima! Maybe that will teach the masses... That us Ultimates are meant to be worshipped! We are not just toys they can enjoy from afar... We're better than them. We're worth more... One of us dies, the whole world rallies to save us. Millions of them die, no one bats an eye..."

"That's a sick way of looking at our predicament..." Ryoji spoke up, "I can't accept your reasoning at all!"

Kicho grinned wider, like a Cheshire cat might, "Then tell me this; while millions died and starved in Africa, and civil wars plagued the whole land... What did Hope's Peak do? Nothing. What did the first world countries do? Nothing... Nothing significant. They were too afraid to impose their will on others... Until it came to Despair..."

"How is that even fair?" Ryuu asked, questioning her logic.

"How many died to save Naegi and company?" Kicho inquired, "How many will die to save us, I wonder?" She started walking off on her own, "The truth is... I want to forgive Narutoya... But I can't. Not when his talent is what it is... All those times he said he loved me were fake... Right?"

Narutoya clutched his hand to his chest, unable to find words.

Kicho snarled, "When the only one you thought loved you in this world is taken from you unfairly... What do the opinions of others matter, to a broken woman like me...? I have the right to judge you all however I want. Because... you're all faking friendship, too, right? That's how Shiori could have killed Michi... Fake tears, to urge us where she wanted, so that even if she died... We'd forgive her. That's the extent of human interactions, isn't it?"

"God, you're fucking stupid..." Of all people, Hiro said that, "If you can't even understand basic human nature, don't open your fat mouth."

"What could you know that I don't?"

Hiro laughed, "Humility, for one. Ultimate? You run a fucking online store. Not that hard, bitch. Can't even manage a bank or a school with your shit talent. You're like a meter maid that wants to be an officer... It's just pathetic to watch."

"That movie sounds like it'd do well..." Ryoji joked to himself.

"Secondly, we kind of have this thing in us called cooperation. It's true, some of us use others... The mastermind is a good example... But if you believe that all humans do is for their own selfishness... If you believe being good for the sake of good is a myth... Then fine. Have fun. But get that weak shit out of here before I put my foot in your ass... I may not be as good as Aya..." He looked at her, and she seemed surprised he'd say any of this in the first place, "But I have faith in myself beyond my arbitrary title... Then again, that's why you're different. We all have something besides our talent that people like us for... What do you have, again? A chip in your shoulder and pics that people like Ryoji jerk it too... Nothin' more."

Ryuu stepped back, "Talk about nuclear savagery... Did I just bare witness to such a fucking burn!?"

Monokuma popped up behind him, scaring the hell out of him, "I'm a bear witness! Upupupupupu!"

And like that, he left.

Kicho stood there, a dark shadow overcast, "I'll enjoy getting the Monokuma File for your murder..." And she left with those dark, ominous words...

Hiro laughed it off, "Me, murdered!? Who could pull that off!? I'm not going to die here!" He glanced at me, Ryoji, Ryuu, and Aya, "We have to live! To escape together like we promised!"

Maria sighed, "This just ruined the mood completely..." She shooed us to our rooms, "Just head home for today... Hang out or do whatever... For now, we're putting the exploration of the hospital on hold."

With that, I returned to my room. Now what should I do today?

 ***Free Time Event***

After returning to my room from a somewhat tiring venture, I realized I had more time to kill.

 ***Free Time Event***

I finally got back to my room just as the nighttime announcement blared. I sighed and went to bed. Sitting myself down, I thought about Shiori one last time.

It is my fault, right? Only I could have caught her... Was it worth saving the others? Of course, but... That didn't lessen the pain...

I went to bed, clutching the pillow tightly praying a dream would never come.


	31. When In Coma, Day Eight

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Eight**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I awoke to the feeling of something heavy on my chest. I opened my eyes to see a sight I never could have ever expected to see in my life.

Maria was laying on top of me, smiling at me, "You're awake... That's good..."

"M-M-M-Maria!? Wh-Why are y-you here!?" I stammered in abject terror.

"Well, Kotoko and Akira get to wake up in your room, right?" Maria shot back, "Where's my turn?"

"It's not about turns! The leader of our group can't be seen clinging to me in my bed!" I shouted at her, lifting my body up. She clung to me, though, her arms around my waist.

Maria laughed, "It's okay. I'll say I was...tied up."

I cringed at that joke, "Maria, please... We need to be professional right now, to protect everyone."

"Fine..." Maria quickly got up off of me and dropped to the floor off of the side of the bed, "I can take a hint I'm not wanted."

"That's not what I-"

"Move your ass! Meeting in five, Naoya!"

The fourteen of us arrived one by one. Even Kicho, who sat furthest away from us, Kojiro giving her sidelong glances as if to dare her to even try opening her mouth.

"So do we enter the hospital or not?" Ryoji asked, "That is the question!"

Ryuu made a stand, "I think we should go into the hospital. Monokuma is going to give us a motive in there and probably lock us in there, but, if there is an out for this game, I doubt it'd be out here in the open. Not all of it, at least. And, honestly, we need to get access to any and all medical supplies we can."

Sho dryly commented, "Especially if she opens her mouth again. Then we'll need meds..." He pointed at Kicho.

"Do what you will. I await a second murder." Kicho replied apathetically.

"So are we going or what?" Ryoji queried, "I'm just...curious is all. There might be important information that could lead us to the mastermind, you know?"

I sighed, "You think they're among us, then? For once, I was hoping Shinji was wrong."

"Someone messed with Michi's trap..." Kojiro reminded us, "I nearly died due to their intervention."

Akira rolled her eyes, "What a tragedy that would have been..."

"Fine. We'll go. In groups." Maria reprimanded Hiro and Kicho when they started going alone.

And like that, I was in a group with Taka, Ryuu, and Kotoko.

The front entrance opened smoothly with all of us in there, and when the last of us stepped inside, the doors locked behind us.

"As predicted..." Akira said, that gruff attitude having returned.

Maria commanded us, "Take note of everything. All possibilities must be accounted for. Understood?"

...

The five of us headed to the left stairwell at the base of the building. Down the first floor hallway, there were two stairwells. We chose the one of the left-hand side. Only to find...

All of the stairs had been destroyed. All that remained was the beginning of the walkway on the top floor, towering above us.

"What the... Destroyed by the Monokumas maybe?" I theorized.

Kotoko shook her head, "Actually, I...uh... This is near where I found your father, Naoya-kun."

I grinded my teeth together for a moment. Don't react, Naoya. Don't blame her. You're responsible, too...

"So Kotoko destroyed this, then?" Taka said it matter-of-factly, "I hope no one falls down here. They'd die instantly, or worse... Suffer."

"That's a way to go..." I commented, fearful of that height.

Taka added, "I'd never want to die like that..."

"Same, fam..." Ryuu added.

Ryoji adjusted his hat, "Let's try the other side..."

The other side was not broken, and we began checking the other floors.

"So the second floor is for incoming patients..." Ryuu noted, looking at the new map our handbooks had been updated with.

We checked a couple of the rooms, but there was the same set up inside. White ceiling, clean floors... One had a music box on the side. Ryuu jokingly asked if it was for the blind or for a maid, which I understood but refused to comment on.

After routinely checking the others, we concluded there were none besides that exception and moved to the third floor. Kotoko split off here to investigate with Honoka and Aya, since the mood between Taka and Ryoji got weird.

The third floor contained waiting rooms and several surgeon labs. Defibrillators and scalpels, bone saws and cutters, all manners of tools remained accessible on the whole floor.

"We could use these to save lives..." Taka said, glad to have them.

I agreed, "Yeah... To bring people back or... To stitch them up if they get hurt."

Ryuu countered, "Or to commit murder, too..." He sighed, "We need access, so we can't just block this off... Still, it's a worry."

"Maybe we can stable someone here to watch the goods..." I offered an idea.

Ryoji nodded, "That might work..."

The waiting rooms were typical; white-walled, magazines on tables no one ever read, two couches to sit on and some armchairs. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

As we reached the fourth floor, I thanked the stars we never found any bodies.

The fourth floor was quite ironically the morgue. Bodies were stored here in emergency situations before funeral directors could take them out to the larger facilities on the far side of town.

Most of those rooms were blocked off or so cold we immediately closed the door on them. We did find a small closet on one end and opened it up. Inside was a huge pile of rope, brooms, mops, cleaning supplies, and more. The rope was slightly bloodstained on one end.

"That's... Did someone bring this for a reason?" Taka asked, holding the bloodied end.

Ryoji dismissed the other items, "Maybe they planned to rappel down the side of the hospital?"|

Taka's eyes widened, "Then maybe this is our escape! We can do this!" As he rushed out with Ryoji just behind, Ryuu and I noticed some small metal panes, the kind to line glass windows.

"Steel... Could pass electricity through these, if need be," Ryuu commented, "We could write help signs maybe, if we attached lights to them..."

I chuckled, "Like a crappy Christmas sign, huh?'

We arrived at the fifth floor, just the two of us. This was where our dorms were. Eight rooms for the eight remaining guys, and six dorms for the girls. The doors to Shiori and Michi's labeled rooms were locked.

"To think we outnumber 'em..." Sho spoke, standing against the wall to the sixth floor, "Your buddies ran up with rope. Nearly fell back down here over the sheer length of the rope, too."

Ryuu asked, "Did you team up with anyone?"

Sho pointed at Kojiro watching Kicho like a hawk, "Unfortunately."

"Ouch. Sorry, man..." I replied honestly. Kicho was a handful and Kojiro had been pretty down since the trial.

As we headed up all the way to the top floor, we only noticed two important things on the way. The seventh floor had giant co-ed showers and a section cordoned off. It was called the Coma Center. Why was it blocked off? People couldn't possibly be in there, right?

Finally, we reached the roof where Taka and Ryoji were testing the rope by throwing over the side of the rooftop and running it down.

"Uh... Why do that? Shouldn't we use a lower floor?" Ryuu asked a reasonable question.

"The windows in all the rooms we checked were barred off, remember?" Ryoji pointed out.

Taka added, "Hiro also tried to break several windows. Not to even minimum success."

Thanks for the info, needless violence guy...

I sighed, "Is it going to work?"

"Or nah?" Ryuu added.

Ryoji cursed, "Damnit... It's not long enough."

Taka grimaced, "You must know that line by heart." Geez, Taka!

Ryuu's eyes widened, "Okay... Wow..."

"Yeah... You're right. It is a thing to wow about. That he got Aya, you know..." Okay, this is not going how I expected it to at all.

Ryoji stepped back, "Taka, that's... That isn't nice to-"

Taka cut him off. "Tell that to Satsuki... I can forgive you, but can you?" He turned to face Ryoji. "It only goes down to like the sixth or seventh floor... Not nearly enough to reach ground floor..."

"Then we can't escape with this... Shit..." Ryuu cursed under his breath and stomped his foot on the ground in frustration.

Taka sadly gripped the rope and pulled it up, "Of course it wouldn't be long enough to escape with. Monokuma would never give us an out."

"Damn you, one bear..." Ryuu shook his fist.

Monokuma showed up, "Yes? You called?" Ryuu jumped in shock, "Also, it's Mo-no-ku-ma. Say it with me, Ryuu. Monokuma..."

Ryuu clenched his teeth, "Fuck off, Monobear!"

"That's not fun, sport... Maybe I should tell the others your objective. Have them take care of you." Monokuma put his hands over his mouth as he laughed.

Ryuu clenched his teeth upon reading his current objective "Really pushing the rules there, Monokuma..."

"Nooo... Say it with me, Ryuu. Headmaster Monokuma..." He threatened, the red eye glowing briefly.

"Please don't... Headmaster Monokuma..." I heard the pain in his voice as he said it.

Monokuma nodded, "Good boy... Here's a cookie." He handed Ryuu a baked cookie with his face on it, one half white, the other black, "It's matching chocolate! Enjoy it!"

"That was... something." I was confused, "Anyways, let's take the rope back. Someone might use it for nefarious purposes."

Ryoji scoffed, "For what? If we used it to strangle someone, that limits the suspects immediately."

Ryuu joked, "Maybe one of the girls is into kinky ropeplay..."

"Honoka." Taka, Ryoji, and I said simultaneously.

"Yeah, probably..." He admitted pretty easily.

Eventually, we gathered on the fifth floor in front of our dormitories, "Well, what did we find?" Maria eventually asked, the silence deafening.

Sho went first, "The dorms are all stocked similarly. Most of our important gear was transferred here. It's alarming how quickly it was done without our knowledge."

Monokuma popped in, "I know what you all own! Of course I can just prepare replacements! Upupupu!"

And like that, he left, probably hiding under the floor or something.

"We found motion sensors in the security room on the third floor. We could set them up if... it became necessary." Kojiro offered a safe alternative to nightly freeroaming.

Ryuu kept it succinct, "The seventh floor has a co-ed shower we can use... Large, spacey. The drain isn't particularly large, but that's good for not losing things."

"Or evidence disposal," Kicho ruined the mood pretty fast.

"Supply broom closet on the third floor. Fourth is a locked up morgue... Better we can't get in there." Taka's face was pale as he thought about it.

Kicho mused to no one in particular, "Our deceased friends may reside there. The heartfelt Michi and the fiery Shiori..."

"Fuck you." Kojiro spat, saying what I wanted to but never dared.

"If only my standards could be so low..." Kicho shot back, "But alas, you'll have to stick with your dead apprentice."

Hiro grabbed Kojiro as he nearly jumped her right there.

Narutoya shook his head, done with her antics, "Why do we bring her to these meetings? She's a Blackened waiting to happen."

"Entertainment value?" Kotoko joked.

"She has to be less edgy to really entertain us..." Ryuu commented

Honoka smirked, "I'd let her entertain me real good... Hehehe..."

"Stop sounding like a dirty old man," Akira smacked her on her head.

"Oww! I was kidding... She has beautiful skin, though..." Honoka added an unnecessary tidbit.

Narutoya said in melancholy spirit, "Even where you can't see..."

Kicho blushed crazily and tried to smack Narutoya, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Ryoji laughed, "Is this supposed to be a slapstick routine?"

Maria grabbed the two of them and forcefully threw them onto their backs, "Enough... Fuckin' children, every one of ya's..."

"I'm not my partner." Ryuu deadpanned.

Honoka gave him a sly smirk, "Your taste in girls from my games begs to ask a question or two."

Ryuu looked away, clearly flustered, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"And that's only discussing girls..." Honoka grinned even wider.

Ryoji lifted an eyebrow, "Uh..."

I asked, "What do you mean by that, Honoka?" I normally don't indulge in drama, but this sounded intriguing to even me.

"Heyheyheyheyheyhey, look, let's worry about this never. Does anyone have anything else to report on? Find anything else the rest of the class should know about the hospital?" Ryuu was desperate to change the conversation.

"All the doors from floor eleven to the roof don't work. Everyone is broken. We'd have to break them down to get in, and Monokuma might not like that." Sho added, "I heard some Kumas behind one, too... So let's not flood this place with ursine death, okay?"

Ryuu sighed in relief. Honoka nudged him and gave him another evil grin.

Maria sighed, "That all we got?" No one spoke up. Taka sweated a little, not mentioning the rope as agreed to, "Then go to your rooms. Lights out means stay the fuck in your room. Or else."

Akira lit up a cigarette, "Whatever you want, hun. I'll listen to ya."

"Hrm..." Maria grunted in response.

With that, I headed back to my room. I had a headache all of a sudden, so I decided to hang out with someone.

*Free Time Event*

I returned back to my room and realized I had a few hours before night time happened. I decided to spend it usefully.

*Free Time Event*

When I got back, it was nearly ten. Deciding I needed some fresh air to help with my headache, I headed up to the roof to get what I needed.

Up on that rooftop, I met someone I didn't expect to see. And that's when my headache reached a crescendo and I blacked out.

...

"Shinji. What are you doing here?" I said with my deep, scratchy voice, "I expect answers this time."

Shinji turned to face me and stepped back, nearly off of the roof in shock, "...Who are... Naoya?"

I grinned, reveling in his fear, "Be afraid of me, Arbiter. Now answer. How the fuck did you get up here? If you don't answer satisfactorily, I know how you'll get down."

"Tch. I'd like to see you try." When I began to move to prove I would, he changed his tone, "I used the powers of a gymnast to get up here. And Monokuma gave me a scolding. If I help any of you down, he'll kill the lot of you."

"Was that so hard to admit to, lover boy?" I thought to myself, "Have you found anyone? What is left of our class in your world?" He didn't answer me, "Fucking answer, bitch. You can't not know. And if you can't, fucking explain it then!"

"Fine..." Shinji sighed, "You all went missing. Only three at first, but then the lot of you... We just found two back home. Makoto messaged in with our communicator. They found Michi and Shiori. Both fine, but they don't remember much. Just that they got captured."

I tilted my head, "The two that died..."

Shinji explained, "When you told me they died first, and then we found them... It was a shock to me, of course." He faced the sky, "If the mastermind dies, we'll know. They won't be coming back. Sorry this doesn't help."

"It might later on..." I thought on it, "For now, I'll keep those bitches in line... In case they..." Oh... The headache's back... Dear god... Might be sick...

I still don't understand why I woke up in my room. I was too tired to ask... And like that, I fell asleep.


	32. When In Coma, Day Nine

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Nine**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I finally was able to open my eyes and keep them open at around eight in the morning. Damn, my headache was gone, but I still didn't feel that much better. A headache like that didn't come over me... Since...

Well, no point fretting over it. I'm alive now, and even... even if what I think happened happened, not much can I do about that now.

That's when Monokuma appeared at the foot of my bed, "Sleep well, Naoya?"

"Ahh!" I screamed and fell backwards, slamming my head against the wall hard. The thump reverberated throughout my room.

"I just came to tell you that Shinji is fine... And that your little outburst wasn't found out by the others..." Monokuma grinned, "To think that a loser like you had a second personality... Are you hiding a third in there, too? Perhaps another twenty?"

Realizing that he had observed what occurred, I tried to restrain my emotions, "This hospital is stocked up on everything... Are medications for my condition available?"

Monokuma seemed surprised by that, "Wow, what a reasonable question! You're the first person to not tell me to bugger off!" He laughed at that, knowing I'd love to say that, too, "There's a stock room on the third floor that has large amounts of all kinds of drugs and tonics... Maybe some deadlier concoctions, too..."

I rolled my eyes, "Poison is more a red herring than a killing implement at this point, don't you think? Then again..." Both times it was brought up before, it *was* used...

"Whatever you think, buddy. Just remember your objective and don't forget to despair every once in a blue moon... Gotta catch those Wynauts somehow..."

Monokuma ran off, and as I considered heading out to get those medications right there, my headache returned right quick, and I fell out of my own mind.

I awoke in a dark, empty world. Nothingness, the vast empty darkness of my own mind. Thoughts passed me by, of friends and family. Things I'd seen and gone through. Mother... Father... Michi... And Shiori, too...

Another face flashed by for the shortest of moments, one I recognized cognitively but not in the context provided... And a dark, evil aura began to form, of violet and dark blue hues.

That was when I faced... me. Another me. Not the shadow of me that I hate, but a real, truly different me.

His outfit consisted of a flaming red blazer and teal pants that seemed to move like waves as he trudged toward me, a sick grin on his face. His facial features were mostly the same. His teeth were a perfect shining white, and the way his lips curled up like a joker face unnerved me. His eyes glowed in the darkness behind him, a shocking silver colour. Not red or yellow or purple or any other common colours... No, just cold, silver eyes.

This was a version of me I knew well. I first...learned of this side to me when a kid who tried to stab me in class ended up injured. He stabbed at me, the scars on my hands still visible to me in this darkness.

Apparently, I blacked out. But then I hurt that kid; broke his leg and ended his career as a soccer star. He had been someone close to me, until my predictions of death rang true...

A few more times in my life, people tried to kill me, to attack me. And each time, I either ended up heavily wounded, or... Or they didn't come back to my school. I wasn't even always told what happened to them. By the time I went to live with my grandfather, when both parents were lost, people feared me. I always assumed it was my dreams, but... Staring at this 'other me' before me, I really wondered if... if it had just been that.

"Ha! Ha!" He laughed in a deeper and more worn voice than I recognized my own to be, "This is new! We get to chat, just us... I wonder if it's because of me threatening that Kizami fellow..."

"H...How do you know him?" I asked tentatively. Have you ever been so truly, deeply afraid of your own self?

The other Naoya tilted his head, "Call me by name. I'm... Naoya Two. Or maybe an Alternate Naoya, if you think of it like that... Call me Alter Naoya, then." He smirked, reveling in his own joke, "I know what you know. Unlike you, I have total memory control... If you did too, you'd probably hate yourself... Well, more than you already do."

I began to sweat, "That's..."

"I don't agree with your feelings. They ain't got nothin' to do with me when it comes to guilt..." He cackled, "Life is about making mistakes! What point would there be in regret and guilt!? Do what you love and do it well! Well, Naoya!? What say you!?"

"I won't be... that selfish..."

"Awe, but Shiori was..." I stiffened, "She loved you, so she used you. Tricked you. Fucked you. Then died." He found mirth in stating this, "However real her love was, she did that. And she died happy. Will you say the same?" He pointed his finger at me with a blank expression, his face indicating a mix of disappointment and lowered expectations.

I stepped back from him, "Maybe... Maybe so, but I-"

He smirked again, "Kotoko will die, you know?"

I felt my breath stop, caught in my throat.

"As long as you have that casual attitude about this, you can't save anyone!" He whirled his hand back, ruffling the air around us, "Like your parents... Like Shiori... What do you live for, if you won't kill for it!?"

"I don't want to kill. The others... They're my friends. What could you understand!?"

He then tilted his head at an odd angle, making me wonder whether he had neck bones or not. It was terrifying; I felt so scared, I thought I might just die of fright. "A guy with no friends talking down to me? What a laugh!"

He zoomed towards me and grabbed my shoulder, talking to me with a whisper, hand pressed against his face to deafen the noise so as any casual listeners couldn't hear, "Between you and me, I like you. I want to protect you, us, what we love... I'll just do what you can't, okay? Let me handle the hard stuff... Like I always have been..."

"You... You hurt those people, didn't you? The ones who attacked me..."

He stepped back, "Well, yeah. Attacking a child because he sees things he can't unsee; that he doesn't want to? Of course I dropped them to the ground. Sometimes, crippled. Sometimes, too scared to act again. But maaaaaaaaaaaybe a couple times... I offered a more permanent solution..." He grinned again, like a child that did bad and enjoyed the shocked expression of their parents.

Shocked as I was, I asked, "Why... Why did you do that!?"

"Because fuck 'em." Alter Naoya said it so casually, gleefully, even, that I couldn't find the words for it anymore, "Before you go, hun, let me clear one thing up for you. If anyone endangers us... I will strike them down. If they endanger the ones we love... I will harm them. And enjoy it. To the fullest extent."

"Why would you enjoy inflicting pain on others!? That's sick!"

Alter Naoya laughed, "Well, think of it like this. The world doesn't feel real to me; it's like a story, one I can live in at important points. So in a way, the people that harm us are fictional... Should I weep for the lives of those I don't recognize as alive? Doesn't everyone find sick enjoyment in watching fictional characters, especially sick bastards at that, suffering!?"

I couldn't believe him at all, "What kind of dissonance are you on!? What level!?"

"Whatever you think that works, I guess. I'm palpably sane, thank you. An intolerance for the lowly brought about by traumatic experiences... You only let me out when I need to act, to fight, to harm..." He smiled in that disturbing way of his, "Don't judge a tool for fulfilling its purpose."

As the darkness started to rescind, he waved, "Talk to you soon... Don't forget our talk. You have some self-searching to do now. This is where the killing game gets real... So play it. Win it. Outlast it." And like that, I fell back into consciousness.

When I came to, I found myself pressed against my door. Well, that was... Enlightening. Why did he return now, of all times? ...I mean, I know why, but dammit! That just makes things harder on me... Especially with my objective... And the rules of this game... If he kills someone, I'll die for it... That's not even remotely fair! I was screwed the moment I got here!

Trying my best to ignore that, I decided to enjoy my day. Without a group meeting, I guess I-

Kotoko broke me out of my thoughts, "Hey, Naoya! Group meeting, on the third floor. There's a big meeting hall room and we're gathering to talk. The second floor has a cafeteria, too! Kuma opened it for us!"

And like that, we ended up in the room where the others were gathered... Alas, we had no new info.

"Well, if that's all," Kicho started, "I have things to do, places to be."

Kojiro grunted, "No trouble. Understood?"

Hiro put a hand on his shoulder, "She's lost to us now. Nothing we can do at all."

And most of us left... Sho remained behind, and when the others had mostly split off, he approached Taka, Ryuu, Hiro, Ryoji and I, "You guys... Question."

"Yeah...?" Ryoji asked, worried.

"We're all hot-blooded young men, right?" We didn't answer, "And we need to find ways to relieve our stress and cope in our new situation. And I have an idea..." Sho smirked.

Somehow we allowed that idiot to manipulate us all into sneaking to the seventh floor to spy on the girls. Apparently Kotoko had suggested to them to bond by bathing together. They were trying to get Kicho to join them.

Hiro joked, "Ryoji, why'd you come along? Don't you get enough of Aya naked already?"

Taka gasped, "But she said no lewd stuff allowed!"

"Ryoji knows exactly where the tan lines end..." Sho snickered like a giggling child who knows a secret.

"H-h-hey...! Not fair... Ryuu just wants to see Honoka so he knows whether to draw hair or not..." Ryoji instead took shots at Ryuu, a neutral observer.

Ryuu's eyebrow raised, "You want to fight dirty? Honoka's a shapely adult. Naoya might just want to see Kotoko without starring on How to Catch a Predator."

"..." Ignoring that comment, I asked, "Sho, why do you know about them gathering?"

Sho turned back, "They mentioned it in front of me, actually. I got there early and passed out. I woke up and overheard them, and just stayed silent. Then I thought how awesome it would be to... ehehe..." He was back in stoner tone, "give you guys a hand..."

I shook my head, "Degenerate male..."

"Then why are you here still?" Sho gave a sneer.

"To make sure you don't all get murdered. And I've seen Akira naked before... So it's not like I need more to imagine..." I realized afterward why I should not have said that.

Before Sho could ask further, Ryuu interjected, "Naoya's got options, at least. Ryoji leaps on the first bone hole he can get."

Ryoji glared at Ryuu, but Sho was already silently opening the side door. And inside we saw...

Paradise.

Taka gulped in air and nearly fell to the floor. Ryoji's nose started bleeding, dripping onto the edge of the steam-filled room. Ryuu's eyes followed Honoka's movements, following the sway of her hips as she sauntered about, teasing Kicho and Aya about their perfect goddess bodies. Hiro just grinned like an idiot the whole time.

Sho took out a camera, and I knocked it out of his hand, "Don't you dare!" It clattered to the floor quite loudly, and they all turned to us.

"Ryoji!?" Aya screamed out, "What are you doing!?"

Ryoji stuttered, "W-w-w-w-whaaaaat!?"

Sho grabbed a small glass bottle he had on him and crashed it onto the floor, "Scatter!" And we did.

Ryoji and Taka sprinted through the left side, the door flinging back and knocking me and Ryuu back. Hiro ran to the right side. Sho had already left by then.

Ryuu got up to his feet and reached for me, but when Kicho flung herself at us, enraged, I shouted, "Every! Man! For! Himself! Go!" And like that, he fled, but not before saluting me as he left. ...Until he slipped and fell on the soap and slammed into the wall headfirst.

Maria, towel covering herself, charged after them, "I'll chop your collective balls off and hang them on my mantle!"

Aya ran after, "Ryoji! You're getting punished tonight!"

I got up and ran to check on Ryuu. When I realized he would be okay, I turned to sprint. A very naked Kotoko blocked my way, "Going somewhere?"

I jokingly replied. "P-prison...?"

Sho, Hiro, Ryoji, and Taka all escaped without much effort... Kicho and Aya were stalking the halls for them as Maria came back to address the two 'dumb fucks' that got caught.

Little did we know the mastermind was laying a trap right then...

"So can I chop their balls off now?" Maria asked, brandishing a hunter's knife she carried on a strap under her clothes.

"Please no...' Ryuu said, tearing up.

Honoka grinned, "I have a few ideas for naughty boys like these two..." She glanced up at Maria, "Go delete his game files."

Ryuu's eyes went wide "You wouldn't...!"

"Wouldn't I?" She raised an eyebrow.

Maria grunted, "Either the game files or your cojones... Now!"

"Oh, come on! Isn't there a third option?!" Ryuu exclaimed.

Kotoko suggested with a sly smile, "I mean... If you two want... I could train them to behave. Motivate them."

"I didn't even want to go... I sabotaged them! I don't want to get punished!" I cried out in fear, "Spare us... Please!"

"Fine... Go delete them..." Ryuu shrank back, not wanting to know what Kotoko meant by 'motivate'.

Akira joked, "I dunno... A trained duo, huh? Sounds nice."

Honoka nodded, "I'd enjoy getting some use out of them."

"Maybe then he would..." Maria thought to herself.

"I assure you, after my techniques they'd never disobey their mistress again." Was Kotoko joking? I couldn't tell and that terrified me.

Ryuu was speechless they'd even entertain this, his eyes darting back and forth, looking for a way out.

That was when I felt my consciousness slip...

Kotoko and Honoka casually discussed her techniques while Maria eyed Ryuu like a dog needing to be put down. He just shrunk in her gaze.

Akira noticed it first, "Naoya... What is going on with you?"

I glanced up at them and flashed them all a smirk.

"H-h-h-how's it goin', everyone, it's Alt Naoya here!" I jumped up, freeing both Ryuu and I from the binding atmosphere at once, "And today on this episode, we just got caught peekin' on the totally hot and definitely of age girls trapped in this hospital with us!" The others all looked at me with curiosity and confusion now, "The question is; will our mana be tapped or can ya boy Naoya get Ryuu and him out of this sticky situation!? Hehe, see what I did there!?"

Kotoko stepped back, "This is new, even for me..."

Ryuu looked up at me, confused as to whether I was saving his life or ending it myself, "Uh, Naoya?"

I patted him on the head and ignored him, like a child trying to discuss politics with the important people, "Well, ya boy Naoya here feels your anger. Trying to enjoy a nice bath with each other in a teenage boy and lesbian wet dream when, expectations CRUSHED! All you get is some skeevy punks staring at you all perved out... Well, I am here to tell you... That I regret nothing."

"Y-you-!" Maria stomped towards me, knife outstretched.

"Hey, calm..." I sidestepped her blade, "This is what you wanted, right?" I whispered into her ear, "I went through the trouble to see you like that..."

She stopped moving, her face turning a stark red as steam left her ears.

I stepped around her, "And Akira, great... Look as good as you did before. Would not mind a replay at all. Those dance moves you learned rock me right..."

"A-are you..." Akira reached for her flask, only to remember it wasn't under her towel, "I'm not that impressive..."

Next, Honoka, "As for you, my dear... Don't feel like you have to make us do your bidding. Ryuu's ready to serve, and I would never say no to such a feisty redhead who knows exactly how she wants her pet to act..." I knelt down before her, "I know how to take orders from a queen."

Honoka fell backwards, landing on her feet last second, reeling from my taunting, "A-anything, huh?"

I whispered, "Anything you want."

Honoka practically melted like butter at the thought, stumbling to her knees. Not as fresh as Mondo, but good enough.

Finally, I locked my sights on Kotoko, "My dear Fighter... Weep no longer, for I shall comfort you in your nightmares, in any and every way. There is no need to motivate a man as driven as I..."

She blushed, "R-really?"

"Would I have a single chance to share with you the feelings I have inside me, you would know I speak truth," I bowed to her, "Forgive me, Kotoko-chan. I beg of you to forgive Ryuu and punish me instead... He should not suffer for what I allowed to go on... Even if it means I must take all your anger myself... This body will see me through it."

"Well, uh... He's not wrong, Honoka... I don't really need motivation for you..." Ryuu broke the silence.

Kotoko pondered, "What about me?"

Ryuu almost choked as she said that, "Well, I... Don't, either... But it might help..."

That was when I realized something. Ryuu would always plead the fifth to something like this. As he did earlier. Which meant...

"So would you smash traps?" I queried, testing my hypothesis.

Ryuu gave me a look that can only convey the message of something like; are you doing this to me right now!? With a sigh and a gulp, he answered, "I wouldn't be against it." He glanced at Honoka as he answered, blushing

Now that I realized what he had to do, I decided to do what any good friend would do. I'm going to fuck with him.

"Out of the four girls here, which one would you regret putting a baby in?" I grinned. Now all I had to do was derail the conversation enough, and we could escape safely. Or just me, which was cool, too.

He gritted his teeth and glared at me as he looked between the four girls and sighed. "Either Akira for how much she drinks, or Kotoko because I don't want prison."

Akira spat to the side, "You don't like a drink now and then? In a game like this? You look like you could use one right now."

"I don't drink. I tried wine once and hated it. Doesn't mean I won't try to drown emotions with copious tea, though." Ryuu admitted honestly.

"But Ryuu... You would be far from the first guy to like me despite my age... And none of them got arrested for it!" Kotoko said it cheerfully, "I won't judge, honest! That's just what demo... Adults want, right?"

"Well, most adults would probably call adults like that demons. But, I... Guess I've always liked cute people..." Ryuu looked away, knowing he was digging his own grave in more than one way with that statement

I trolled him harder, "Akira is real cute when she's undressed, you know. So bashful and worried about your opinion..."

"Is that right? I don't suppose she would have an opinion on that claim, would she?"

Akira bashed me over the head, her face red, "Maybe he has a point... I kinda just wanna hit him now."

Maria wondered aloud, "Akira acting girly... Kyaaah! That's so cute!"

"She's drooling a little," Kotoko said in a hushed whisper.

Ryuu grabbed me by the wrist as the girls started to get distracted by themselves and dragged me away, making a run for the stairs "I swear to god, Naoya..." He glared at me as we made our escape, as though he was looking for a reason to send me back.

"I saved our asses back there. Unless you want her to hunt us down like dogs, be thankful!" I shot back, smirking in triumph. I would have been delighted to endure whatever punishments Kotoko or Honoka had in store, but alas, I'd have to break them in at a later date. Shame.

He finally stopped running at the fifth floor and stared incredulously at me.

"Come on... What do you think?" I posed, "Am I better than Naoya? I mean Base Naoya... I hope so. Then again, this outfit needs some work, but..."

He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking "What the hell happened to you, Naoya..?!"

I tilted my head, "Oh, right. Introductions. Name's Naoya. Alter Naoya." He didn't shake my outstretched hand yet, "I come out when his life is endangered. I expect to see you much more, Ryuu." When I understood he was intimidated, I explained, "I have his memories and mine. I'm not going to murder people in a rampage or nothin'." I adjusted my hair, "I'm no Genocider. Okay? So put 'er there, friend." I put my hand out again.

He was still apprehensive, but he shook my hand this time. "Alright... And, I know what you were doing back there, you asshole. I just hope none of them caught on..."

"None of them will know." I assured him, "But uh... Since I know what your objective is... Heh." I saw his face grow pale, "I'd like to make a deal."

...

Back in my room, I decided to have some fun with the others. Of course, I couldn't do it... So alas, I had to allow Naoya back in control. For now...

Headache and then mental silence...

I was back in my room? How? Was it other me again? I'd better see if the others noticed anything weird.

 ***Free Time Event***

I was back in a couple of hours and decided to hang out with someone else again.

 ***Free Time Event***

When I returned again, I found Ryuu outside my door, "Ryuu? What are you doing here?"

He gave me grave news, "I uh... I've been keeping watch on Kicho for... someone. And she seems to have set up a meeting on the eleventh floor. Her, Kotoko, and Hiro. I smell bad news written all over it."

"Why them?" I asked, now worried.

"No idea. Should we investigate?" He was serious about this, too.

I decided myself, "Get Ryoji and then we'll go. We need to be safe, just in case. Maybe bring something to defend yourself with, too."

Ryuu grimaced, "This might be a murder plan. What about you?"

Looking him in the eyes, I responded dryly, "I have my own weapon on me."

I don't know if he understood, but he nodded, "Alright... Meet you there. Hurry!"

I sprinted up there, nearly tripping over my own feet several times in a desperate, feral sprint to reach the tenth floor, struggling not to shout in anger and confusion. Whatever Kicho was planning, I could never trust a woman like her. No matter how close we might be, or the others... She was not a person we wanted around.

When I finally got there, I found the three of them in the center of the hall. Kicho faced off against Kotoko and Hiro stood in the middle.

Running up between them, I panted out, "What... the... shit..."

Kicho recognized my presence, "Stay out of this, Himura. This is between us."

"What... do... you... mean..." I breathed out, pain surging as my chest tried to give out on me.

"It turns out my family was exterminated in this city..." Kicho spoke under her breath, "They talked about helping others, the inherent goodness in people... And all it got was them killed... And Monokuma gave me evidence to support this..." She held out two sets of case files.

"They're from me.. Right?" Kotoko already knew what was on them, "Maria's family, Naoya's father... And yours, huh? I certainly worked at a decent clip. But Masaru killed far more than I did..."

Kicho sneered, "A competition was how you guys fucking handled the mass extermination of people... You sicken me..." She gripped the files until her hand started to turn purple, "The reason good people don't exist, is because of people like you!"

Ryoji reached the top of the staircase, "I'm here...!"

"Where's Ryuu!?" I demanded.

"Coming... up... Soon..." Ryuu reached the top of the stairwell drinking an entire second bottle of water, the first one falling from his hands. Ryoji caught it.

:No littering, remember?" Ryoji glanced around, hoping Monokuma wasn't bursting out any time soon.

Ignoring them for now, I asked, "Where did you get those files, Kicho!?"

"The morgue." A quick answer.

The morgue, huh? Were those bodies victims of Kotoko? Was that our second motive? If that was the case...

Hiro sat back, "Kicho only brought me for protection. In case Kotoko attacked her."

"Actually, that was a lie," Kicho revealed to her companion, "Here. This file isn't on my family..." She handed him the second file, grinning back at Kotoko and I.

Hiro opened up the document, glancing over the text, "This... is..."

Kicho smirked, "And the second page has pictures. Confirm for yourself with your own eyes the truth Kotoko hid."

Sensing danger, I moved closer, "Hiro, buddy... Whatever is in there, let's just talk about this, okay?"

Ryoji and Ryuu finally reached my side. Ryuu muttered, "He was right... She was planning something..."

"Who was right? Did someone ask you to tail her?"

"It's a... long story." Ryuu said it with spite, glaring at Ryoji for hitting him with the door and putting him in this mess.

Hiro glanced up at Kotoko with such hatred that I felt true fear in that moment. He had calmed down greatly over the course of this game, but now it all came back in one moment.

Kicho handed him a scalpel, "This will do, don't you think?" Hiro pulled a knife from his other pocket, "Or that as well..." Kicho turned to me, "His objectives have forced him to bottle up all his anger and hatred... Of the killers, the mastermind, of this game..."

"Kotoko..." Hiro spoke, seething, "A monster like you is assuredly the mastermind... Putting my family's bodies here... Only someone as sick as you would find that funny!"

And he moved full force. I tried to stop him, but he slammed into me with his shoulder with such force I felt a rib crack and I crashed against the ceiling, the lights shattering into pieces and raining down on me. I struggled to get up, coughing blood as I bit my lip and reached my knees in vain.

Hiro rushed Kotoko, who ducked under his swing, "Crafty bitch!" He turned on her, eyes shining with utter madness.

Ryoji yelled out, "Hiro, no!" He tried to grab one of Hiro's legs. Clearly that wasn't a flawed idea going for his strongest point as Hiro knocked him into the air with one knee and kicked him aside with the other. Ryoji slammed against a door handle and it broke off as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his aching back. He moved his hand and blood oozed from the doorknob wound he just received. Thanks for trying, man...

"Water Gun!" Ryuu shot water at the ground in front of Hiro, causing him to slip. He then chucked the bottle full throttle at his hand, only to hit him in the nose. Ryuu lunged for the knife, but Hiro stabbed the scalpel with his free hand into Ryuu's side. Ryuu screamed in pain, allowing Hiro to knock him aside.

I jumped up and jumped in front of Kotoko, but he flung me back with a kick to my chest. As I slammed my head against the floor and felt blood rush out, I saw Hiro plunge the blade of the knife deep in Kotoko's face.

My consciousness began to fade... I didn't want to let it happen, to let *him* out...

Ryuu rushed for Hiro's side but Kicho jumped in and sucker punched him in the mouth. Ryuu slapped her out of the way in retaliation, only for Hiro to deck him to the floor. Hiro kicked Ryuu in the side, "Stay. Down."

He turned to Kotoko, stepping back, clutching her bleeding face, "Hiro... Just stop.. I understand that you hate me, I do... But you'll die, you know!? If you kill me-"

"I don't care!" Hiro shouted over her, "I'll kill you all if I have to... Kotoko will die today! Now get over here!" He lunged for her again.

A hand grabbed his arm. Mine.

"Naoya?" Hiro seemed surprised I was up.

I tilted my head, "Been a while, Hiro... Shall I finish this?" I struck his gut with my knee, feeling joyous to take down such an aggressive bastard like him.

He jumped back, clutching his stomach, "The hell... when did you get fight in ya?"

"I will warn you once..." I laughed at his expression, "Drop your shit and go back to your room before I unleash and seal your doom. This is your one chance so take it, friend. Otherwise this will be your end."

Ryuu took his chances and stood up, clutching his stab wound. It wasn't deep, so he wasn't in too much trouble.

Hiro scoffed, "Oh, look... He can rhyme. She deserves to die, Naoya. You know this. Or did your dad mean nothing!?"

I glared at him, "The last cunt that said that died choking on the blood filling his lungs. Wanna try it? Keep talking shit."

"Then why are you allowing his killer to live!? Why haven't you already killed her for what she did!?" Hiro screamed at me, hoping I'd sympathize.

I just grinned at him, "It's a killing game. I intend to survive. Unlike you, I can think ahead."

Hiro yelled, "Fuck that, Naoya! If you won't move, I'll kill you myself!"

"You want to play into Monokuma's hands, hm?" I turned to Kicho, "If he attacks me, and I have to kill him, I will punish you before the trial. I will make you beg for death."

Kicho knew I meant it too, "Hiro... I don't think this is worth dying over..."

Hiro ignored her, "You talk tough, but what have any of you got on me!? None of you could even try to compete with Aya and I... You're all weak."

"True weakness is attacking an unarmed girl with blade in hand, you shit-brained dumbass..." I retorted, "Why don't you close your eyes and say goodnight?"

Hiro moved towards me and arched his leg for another kick. I jumped above him and brought my own foot to his temple, slamming him into the wall.

His face smacked against a fire extinguisher as he flopped to the ground, blood leaking, "Fucker!"

He lunged for me, knife outstretched. I sidestepped him with ease. The angrier he got, the more predictable his patterns. As he swung his leg out to trip me as I jumped back, I stomped hard on it. A crunch. A bit of tearing.

He nearly fell to the floor before facing me again, his right leg bent awkwardly, just a bit, "You... bastard!"

"You're right, Kicho... This is fun. If this is how rabid of a dog Hiro is..." I clenched my hand into a fist, "I'm glad to get this taken care of now."

Ryuu placed a hand on my wrist. "Naoya, if you kill him you know what will happen."

"Yeah, I do..."I lunged for Hiro and he stepped back a little. I grabbed his hand and twisted it roughly, "Drop the knife before I tear this arm off."

He tried to kick out at me with his good leg, and I caught it between both of mine and brought my other elbow into his leg, a crack resounding out, "Fuck! My leg!"

"Oh, did I just waste your little talent?" I twisted his arm with both hands now, "Drop. It."

Hiro glared daggers at me, though they cut me as effectively as the knife in his writhing hand. I felt my broken rib and wondered how bad the internal bleeding might be.

I twisted his arm further, "You put your right arm in, I tear your right arm off... Come on, man, drop it."

Ryoji sputtered, wiping the sweat off his face and the blood off of his back, "Hiro, seriously! You lost... Don't make it worse!"

"F...Fine..." He dropped the knife once and for all. I nodded and let go of him. He swung his left hand in and jabbed the scalpel into my cheek. I tasted blood in my mouth. What a short-minded little bitchlet...

I reared my right arm back and cracked him right in the testicles. He slumped over, and I clamped my hand over his face. Grabbing the scalpel, I tore it back out through the hole, some of my skin coming off on it, "I bet your family wouldn't want me to send you to them. They must be joyous that they are dead and away from a disgrace like you..."

Hiro tried to punch me, but I ducked, "Naoya... I'll kill you!"

"Nah..." I laughed, "You won't." I pushed him off of me to the floor hard as noises of people clambering up the stairs resounded through the empty, echoing hallway.

Maria charged in first as a leader should. I decided not to reunite with her, and let my good boy handle this...

When I came to, Hiro was on his back, bleeding from a tear on his right leg and a large bruise on the left. He was whimpering from his aching groin, and I knew who had done that.

I ignored him and ran over to Kotoko, the most injured of us all.

She turned to me, blood oozing from what was left of her left eye, "So how does it look?"

"Don't talk... Medic!"

Akira ran over and shouted, "Fuckling fuck... Hiro, what did you do!?" As the others came in and Aya witnessed what had happened, running to Ryoji's side in tears, she shouted again, "What the fuck did you do!?"

I felt the pain from my rib now that the adrenaline was drained from me, and I reached out for Kotoko as I passed out.


	33. When In Coma, Day Ten

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Ten**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

When I came to, Honoka was at my bedside, of all people.

I looked around, finding myself on an actual hospital bed, "Honoka...?"

Honoka smiled, "Thank goodness. It's been nearly six hours... It's past midnight, even..."

"Ooh..." I grunted in pain when I sat up to see her face more clearly, "I'm thankful you stayed behind for me, but... Wouldn't you rather be by Ryuu's side?"

She placed her hand delicately on mine, "He's doing better already. That small wound was nothing."

I chuckled, "Surprised by his bravery? He was a hero, tonight. Or tried to."

"I knew he was like that, somehow." Honoka closed her eyes, "You and Ryoji, too. Though I don't get why he went for the legs..."

"What do you mean?"

Honoka answered quite systematically, "The knees would have used his momentum against him. At an angle, into a wall. From behind or the front, to the floor. Likely disarmed, as well. I've learned much about self-defense... I have to study whatever I write about realistically, of course... Not that self-defense saves most of my protagonists..."

I felt my side, and the gauze covering my side, "How is Kotoko?"

"Kojiro is watching over her personally, magnum in hand. He made it clear he'll kill Hiro in cold blood if he so much as enters that room unguarded," Honoka said it calmly, "Not that most of us would care whether Hiro lives or not... But Kicho... That crazy bitch wanted Hiro to kill her... So we could escape."

"You talked to her?" I asked, curious.

Honoka shook her head, "I beat her first. For what happened to Ryuu and you..."

I pondered aloud, "And Ryoji?"

"Uh, sure, whatever..." She dismissively answered. She must still have been upset over his peeking and fleeing her punishment, or the crude comment she caught him making. "And that was her excuse. If Hiro and Kotoko, the least-liked of us died, we could move on to the next phase of the game."

I sighed, "So Hiro was a pawn... Maybe that was Monokuma's motive, then."

Monokuma burst in, smiling, "That my motive? Never... Even if it had been, it didn't work. That's not in the spirit of killing games!"

"Then what is it? We've been here for days with nothing... This is day four since the last trial. Why aren't you stir-crazy yet?" Honoka queried.

"Oh, today. I'm unlocking the coma ward!" He announced, "But not just yet... So no sneaking in!"

And like that, he left.

Honoka clicked her tongue, "Wunderbar. A new motive on top of our issues... This will go well."

"I'm just glad my friends are safe..." I rested my head back, "Not to be rude, but I'd expect Maria or Akira looming over me..."

"Maria and Akira were meeting with some of the others to discuss how to protect us... I volunteered. I'm not the best when it comes to... to discussing my friends like killers." For the kind of girl she was, she had a deep love for her friends/ I could tell that in her forlorn expression, "Ryuu was at the meeting, so..." She sighed loudly.

I tilted my head, "Something wrong between you two?"

Honoka leaned back, "Kinda... He's very... logical about this. Like, he feels terrible about what happened to Michi and Shiori, and he's expressed those feelings to me, but... He sort of expects the game to continue. Like he has no faith in the others..."

"For him, it's not about faith, Honoka. He trusts us all. It's Monokuma he knows better than to underestimate." I defended him with what I had seen myself.

"Maybe..." She sounded unsure, "I guess it's why I like talking to you. You have this stupid blind faith in your friends... It reminds me of when I was a little girl..."

I never really heard much of her younger life, "You must have been a cute kid, then..." I decided to ask, "What changed you?"

Honoka smirked, "An old tutor of mine. She was kind and serious, respectful and loving... But I always felt like she was off. Her name was... Nari."

"Nari... Nari Kawasaki, the Ultimate Tutor?" I asked. Did he mean Shinji's friend Nari herself?

"She was my best friend. I was a shy kid, obviously... I cried when the others said mean things, and I was pretty, so some of the other girls were jealous..." Honoka wistfully recounted her tale, "Nari taught me everything. About academics and sports, about pursuing your goals... Even love. She told me she loved the kids she worked with..."

I couldn't imagine, "That's... cute."

Honoka flipped a switch in my head, "And she taught me hatred. How to hate, with such a burning passion..." She shook her head, "She one day confided in me that a very bad man was using her... And she told me that she couldn't tell a soul." Honoka gripped her skirt tightly, "I wanted to help, so I wrote about it. Wrote about what she said. And I gave it to my parents, to tell them they needed this..."

A switch clicked in my head, "Was your first game..."

"An accident." Honoka clicked her tongue again, "My career started with a game based on a person close to me... And I ended it with a game about a kind stranger, ruining her life in the process..."

"After the first one, why did you keep going?" I asked.

Honoka shook her head, "Parents, mostly. I was finally good at something. Beyond academics... They told me to indulge myself and actually encouraged my behaviour... And I thought...

A flashback to a young Honoka, only eight or nine, writing in a small journal in a darkened room with a single lamp lighting the table she was slumped onto, "if I become famous one day, I could save Nari... and people like her..."

I laid back against the bed, staring at the ceiling, just reeling, "I'm guessing your ...unique personality formed over years of dealing with that stuff, then."

"Basically... Isn't it sad how my parents were so desperate to get me a talent that they turned me into an adult game producer at such a young age... Didn't even ask where the first story came from..." Honoka shook her head exasperatedly, "Sometimes I wonder what happened to them..."

"You don't know?" I was worried now.

Honoka shrugged it off, "I heard they got into an accident. I never cared to look. They never helped me or Nari... And she raised me more than they ever bothered to..."

Putting my hand on hers, I told her, "It's okay, Honoka. I'm here. You don't need to be strong for this..."

Honoka teared up a little, "I'll soak you, you know."

"It wouldn't be the first time here I was someone else's towel to cry into..."

She reached her arms around me as I held her, unable to say or do much. I hope Ryuu wouldn't see me right now, or he'd get the wrong...

I looked up to see him glancing into the room, and in an angry glare walked off.

...Idea.

Not much time passed before the alarm sounded and Monokuma appeared on the monitors, "Everyone, to the seventh floor. The coma ward door, to be precise! It's time for a little reunion..."

Honoka sighed and offered her shoulder, and I took her offer. She helped me walk to the seventh floor and we greeted the others. I rested my good side against a wall.

A tap on my shoulder stole my attention from Honoka talking to a puffy-faced Ryuu, trying to find out why he was so miffed.

I turned to see Kotoko with an eyepatch on her face now, covering her right eye. The eyepatch she wore was black with purple lines tracing the center, a black oval with a small grey piece in the exact middle diagonally over the patch.

"Honoka made it... She modeled it after a character she likes..." Ah, I knew what character then. So Honoka fucks boats, too, huh?

"H-h-how do I l-look?" She was very bashful about this, something I didn't exactly get. Wouldn't being alive and well matter more? Or the fact you lost an eye? Not how good you look?

I put my hand on her head, "Adorable as ever... I'm just thankful you're alive."

Kotoko nodded, "Kojiro says my eye might make it, but I'm not sure about that... It hurts...lots. He cut right through it..."

Speaking of, Hiro was at the other corner, with Maria, Akira, and Kojiro watching over him. Kicho was rubbing her blackened face, her nose with dried blood under it. Honoka _was_ mad.

Monokuma appears in front of the door, glancing over us, "Wow, you guys are angry teenagers. I was half-expecting a death before you even got here... I guess Hiro wanted to be the hero that avenged his family... right? Riiiight?" Literally everyone groaned at the equivalent of a dad bear joke. Thank God Monokuma would never have kids...

"Fuck off..." Hiro shouted, "What's so important, huh?"

"Don't rush, don't rush... Now all of us here have lost. You all, family and friends... Me, my creator... I understand loss. It makes you stronger..." Monokuma chuckled, "But what if I told you they weren't *all* dead!?"

"Who isn't?" Kojiro demanded.

Monokuma tossed out pamphlets to each of us. I grabbed mine and opened it, my eyes widening in surprise, "You can't be serious..."

Monokuma chuckled, "I'm a bear and bears do not lie! Every person on those papers is alive and inside this ward... But before I open it up, some caveats..."

Akira mumbled, "Fuck me..."

"These fourteen survivors are... left with limited time. When midnight strikes on the third day from now, the moon will kill us all... Wait, no, wrong script... Right, right. On the dawn of the fourteenth day, if there is no murder, they will be executed by me. And you will all watch. Okay!?"

Akira tossed her paper aside, "I won't miss him."

"You may not, but the others... Can they throw away their loved ones!?" The others stared at their papers in a mix of fear, confusion, and despair.

I myself clutched the paper to my chest, nearly tearing up right away.

Ryuu stared at his paper, dumbfounded. "She's... She's alive..." His face was a mix of joy, anger, sadness, hope, and despair, all at once. He crumpled the paper in his hands, growing frustrated with himself before crumbling it up into a ball, clenching it tightly in one hand. "Dammit... I'd rather the moon kill us all. This is low, even for you, you damn bear!"

"So get to killing!" Monokuma jumped out of our way, and the doors unlocked. Most of us rushed inside, each to our own respective rooms. I passed Ryoji, who stopped at thirteen, and Ryuu at ten. I found my door; door four. I opened it to enter the room and saw her there...

Shiori...

I could barely tell it was her; half of her body was wholly covered in burn scars and her hands were covered in them, too. Her hair had been singed off in some places, but for the most part, I knew... She was unconscious as the note had said. They all were; though they might awaken, Monokuma guaranteed nothing...

I fell to my knees, bursting into tears immediately, "You said you executed her, you bastard!"

Monokuma appeared before me and lifted my head up, "But Naoya... it would kill me inside to separate such star-crossed lovers like yourselves... So instead I'll have you do it. If none of you commits a murder, or worse... if you dare to solve it like last time... She'll die. And it will be. All. Your. Fault."

And he left me...

I don't remember the rest of the day. Akira and Maria forcibly gathered us all together in the meeting room for a long talk. I sat between Kotoko and Honoka, unable to find any words anymore.

Maria addressed us all, "Okay, so... Fuck." She shook her head, "This is expertly fucked."

"I think we should just reveal the people," Akira offered.

Kojiro grumbled, agreeing, "Best to understand who has the strongest motives."

Akira shrugged, "My ex-boyfriend Genji. Stabbed him in the throat myself, surprised he's alive. Trust me, I don't care."

Honoka admonished her 'motive', "My mother. Yeah, right. Nice try, Monokuma. She just used me..."

"Maybe she'll want to make amends," Sho offered.

"Even so, I will not die for her," Honoka shot back, "The accident was her fault. My dad is dead 'cause of her..."

Kojiro admitted next, "In the efforts to keep this going... My father is in there. He was falsely imprisoned due to my childish antics. Left to starve and be beaten daily, he's in bad shape..."

"My brother..." Kicho surprisingly participated, "Kojiro might attack if I don't explain, so... He's my last remaining family member, apparently."

"How close were you?" Aya asked, legitimately curious.

Kicho shrugged it off, "He wasn't one for spending time with me... He's only eight, after all."

"That's not cool..." Ryoji muttered, "Monokuma really is the sickest fuck here..."

Aya sighed, "My older sister. Setsuki. She... never approved of my boyish pastime... But even then, she didn't hate me. She was always jealous of me... Or so Mom said."

Ryoji asked, "Why?"

"She's been bedridden since age ten... A degenerative bone disease... She's dying, even now." Aya struggled to not let her voice crack, to no avail.

Ryoji clasped her hand in his, "Aya, I'm here, alright?"

She nodded, teary-eyed, "Th-thanks..."

Ryuu finally spoke up, "Tamiko... My girlfr-...She's here."

Honoka gasped, "Who is she!? I need details!"

Ryuu didn't respond, unwilling to speak further at the moment.

"Satsuki... Barely alive, but still with a healthy chance to awaken..." Taka was crying as he mentioned her name, "I can't let her die again..."

Ryoji replied harshly, "Try not to poison us all for her. Aya's parents was enough, don't you think?"

Taka bit his lip, unable to fight back at that one.

Maria sighed, "My dad... Apparently Kotoko spared him. Sucks that he's here now in critical condition." She acted unaffected, but she was clearly weighing her options the most among us.

Narutoya added his finally, "A coworker of mine... After our company went under, he turned to drugs... Now he's brain dead in there... Even if I killed, I couldn't save him."

That left me, Hiro, Ryoji, and Kotoko to confess.

Hiro stood up first, "I didn't... have anyone." We looked at him and he handed us a note, "My family's not even around anymore, apparently..."

Maria objected, "It says it's your uncle, Kariya."

"Uncle Kariya won't die here," Hiro assured us, "He would never go down like that."

"But he's here, right?" Honoka asked.

Hiro denied it, "So what? Monokuma won't kill him, won't even try... I'll fight him."

Kicho dismissed him, "Then fight and die. Likely no one will miss you."

"The kettle is a bitch in this story," Honoka reacted angrily to her comment.

Kotoko finally offered hers, "Mine is... Well, my dance instructor. I was an actress, but I did theatre generally... And I sometimes had to dance. He was the only one who understood me back then."

"Kotoko..." I tried to comfort her with a head pat.

"It's okay, Naoya... I think he wouldn't want me to kill again..." When I moved my hand, she pouted and then frowned sadly, so I started again, "Thank you..." If she were a dog, she'd be wagging her tail right now.

Ryoji sighed, "Mine is my mother. I... don't know how to feel about that." He shrugged, "Part of me is sad, but... I'm surprised Monokuma chose her and not..." Ryoji shut himself up.

Maria wrote down all of the information she put together, "All that's left is Naoya."

I hesitated, "I don't really... It might be better if I don't say." I glanced at Kojiro, "This is... Much unlike yours. I had no one 'til I came here. Both my parents are truly, wholly dead."

"Then who is it?" Kojiro clicked his tongue this time.

"S...Shiori."

"What?" Kojiro stood up lightning fast, "This is no time to joke-"

"Then check!" I shouted at him, "I know what I saw!"

Kojiro ignored my tone and ran off, and as he was gone, we wallowed in silence.

Kojiro returned, his face a stark white.

"Well!?" Maria clearly wasn't reading the mood.

"She's...awake." Kojiro's words broke me out of my trance, and I sprinted past him, ignoring the growing commotion in the room. Kojiro silently stood by, not stopping me.

Sprinting up the stairs at a pace that I nearly hurt myself several times over, I feel the need to see her grow. As I rush to the door on the fourth room, I burst it open and see Shiori, breathing into a tube, glance at me and smile. My heart fell...

"H-hey..." Shiori smiled, "How are you, dreamer boy...?"

"SHIORI!" I nearly jumped her there but remembered to hold back in the last moment due to her clearly heavily injured state, instead settling on patting her head, "I... I..."

Monokuma appeared with another base smile, "Oh... I waited so long to unveil this motive because I needed time for them to get better... Enough to awaken, even..."

I was struggling to keep myself sane, "But you executed her...!"

"I almost finished the job, too... Until I realized I'd have no leverage over you. So now, you know. Kill someone and you and her can escape together with the others... The mostly innocent..." Monokuma explained his evil plans.

He left, leaving me with a thoughtful Shiori, "So I lived... Because of you..." She smiled, "You loved me enough that I could be your motive...?"

Shiori... I cried, clutching her hand in mine, "Shiori... What should I do!?"

Shiori placed her hand on me, the burnt one, "Knowing you care...is enough. I'll die... if it means you won't kill..."

"Shiori!" I didn't want to leave her, to have to watch her die again. I'd do anything, ANYTHING, to avoid that...

Akira stepped inside behind me, "How you doing, kid?"

"Akira... You came..." Shiori smiled again, but then her eyes shut. I waited, but when she kept breathing softly, I thanked myself she was fine. Just asleep.

"Well, now I feel less bad about Kojiro's suggestion..." Akira let slip.

A security sensor was summarily placed in front of all of our doors. The sensors could be turned off remotely, and Kojiro was given control of them.

"Why the fuck does he get to monitor them!?" Maria exclaimed, angry the leader had not been told beforehand.

Akira sighed, "He knows how it works, has had experience, and can respond quickly. If his talent is worth anything outside of his killings..." She added, "And I have a plan beyond that. People who will patrol each five floors, augmented by on call radios from the nurse ward. The people involved will rotate and their doors will be locked by sensor until their shifts end."

"But why each five floors?" Aya asked.

Kojiro explained, "Only four people allowed out limits possible suspects in any murder. I can check them at the doors, disavowing them from destroying evidence in an individual's return. T does not prevent a murder but trivializes the threat of them getting away. Additionally, the central two will be people close to each other. This lowers the possibility of someone sneaking past each other."

Sho added, thinking it was brilliant, "And if a murder occurs where someone did go between, we'd suspect them immediately, making it difficult for them to lie." He turned to me, "Add in Naoya's ability and we'll be able to narrow it down with ease."

Akira smirked, "I didn't have a plan last time, but I refuse to give up, leader or not."

"Wow... Akira, I'm really proud of you. This is just the brilliant plan I'd expect from you." I spoke truthfully.

Red-faced, she lowered her gaze, "Yeah, sure... Of course."

Maria grumbled under her breath, mentioning how she 'totally' could have done that, too.

That was where we currently stood. I decided to just relax until tonight, but...

Ryuu approached me before I leave, "Hey, uh... Naoya... I want you to come with me to the coma ward later... I need someone, and I can't bring Honoka for this... For her."

Knowing I literally couldn't say no, I nodded, "Is it about Tamiko?"

Ryuu clenched his teeth for a moment, "Yeah... You in?"

"Sure..." I answered, "I'll be there."

He left with just that, not giving me a time. So I stayed in my room until a knock came in.

I walked to the door to be greeted by Kojiro, "Kojiro-san...?"

Kojiro placed his hand on my door, "Himura... Naoya... I must speak to you."

He forced his way in and we sat on my bed in an awkward silence, "Uh... Do you need a drink or anything?"

"No, no... And the food from this place is abysmal... Ryoji already joked about killing to get us out of here..." Kojiro sighed, "That's why I'm here. To ask you outright."

"What do you mean?" Then it clicked, "Is it... about Shiori?"

Kojiro grunted, "Unfortunately, yes... When I saw her open her eyes... I..." He couldn't say more for a couple of minutes, "I... need to say goodbye."

Goodbye? "But Kojiro-" He stopped me with a wave of his hand.

"My job is to ensure no murders occur, Naoya," he said it matter-of-factly, "That includes us. You will not kill to save her. Promise me."

I bit my lip. Whether I wanted to or not, I'd die if I did now. "I promise, Kojiro, swear on my life."

Kojiro nodded, "Good. Because I'd sell you out in a second. No matter how much I want her to live... Killing an innocent to do it is wrong... Even Kotoko..."

"How is Hiro doing?" I asked, curious.

With a grimace, he reluctantly replied, "After a heavy reprimand from Akira, Maria, and I, we hoped he'd reflect on his actions... And, well... He won't talk much... Finding his uncle in the position he's in hasn't helped his mental state..." He glanced at me with a serious look, "How did someone... like you... defend everyone from him?"

Oh, so he wants to know that... "I... have an alternate personality..." I decided to bite the bullet with him, "I don't judge you for Lorraine... I don't..." He didn't respond, ignoring my comment, "Because a part of me comes out when my life, or the lives of those I love is threatened... And he's going wild ever since we got trapped in this hospital... I kept it under control until the first murder happened, and now I... I don't know if..."

He placed a hand on my knee, "Then I'll say this... I will do everything in my power to keep the other you under wraps... Whatever problem your other half has with someone, especially if Hiro or Kicho try to get one of us killed... I'll handle it myself. Lethal force if I must..."

I shook my head, not wanting that, "You'd be executed! I can't just let you die for that!"

"And if you kill someone, you both die... Unlike me... People would miss you. People care for you, they..." He closed his eyes, "I promise you... If Kicho or Hiro ever... do what they did before... I will handle it. So tell your alternate self not to worry... You have something to live for..."

"Should we go see her, then?" I offered, extending my hand.

The two of us mostly walked in silence until we arrived. I opened the door and light came in from the windowsill overlooking the rest of the town. The sun was in the center of the sky bearing down through the window onto her torso as she sat up, smiling, a single canine peeking out from her lip.

"Shiori..." Kojiro walked up to her, averting his gaze, "I... have something to apologize for..."

Glancing over at me, she eyed him, "Is this about how you kill people?"

Kojiro clenched his teeth, "About that..." He sighed, scratching his head in indecision, "It's true, I destroy the evidence to catch Lorraine. Always have..."

"You admitted to that much..." Then I remembered the trial, "And then we ignored you."

"Truth is..." Kojiro hesitated, and I began to wonder why.

Shiori tilted her head, leaning back, "What is it...?"

Kojiro grunted, "Michi... That selfish brat cared more about catching Lorraine than anything else in this game... I was caught in her trap, but... She had invited me out to meet her to discuss something... I only went because... she said you wanted me to come."

"Michi... said that?"

"She was clearly intent on revealing me to be Lorraine in front of you... Why? Well, to prove that she's right... She wanted to crush your belief in me firsthand..." Kojiro admitted to his own theory, "She always pulled that shit..."

I didn't understand, "What do you mean?"

Kojiro handed me a small clipping; in it, Michi was shown gloating in front of a sobbing family, having discovered that their young son was a serial killer just put on death row.

Michi's quote read out to be; 'I like showing people the hard truths. It brings me joy to see how their selfish hopes get crushed... That's why the world ended, you know. You have faith in others...'

Shiori frowned, "Wha... She was like that, really?"

Kojiro confirmed with a stern nod, "I did work with her... and one... other person."

Another person? "Like another officer or another person in the force? Maybe a witness?

I didn't get it at first. Then, as it began to dawn on me, I went to speak, but Shiori beat me to the punch, "You ruined her life by helping Lorraine get away, but you might be an accomplice. Maybe you fought so hard in the first trial because you *actually* aren't Lorraine... And you accepted it to protect them... Like you destroyed evidence."

I couldn't believe it at first, but it clicked. He did ruin her life, but *being* Lorraine isn't necessary to ruin the trail... He could just cover for them.

"So... you aren't Lorraine?" Shiori's eyes widened in shock.

"An accomplice, yes. A contributor, of course," He sighed, "But a killer, I am not. I prefer it that way..."

I asked the most obvious question I could, "Do you know who it is? Are they here?"

Kojiro didn't answer the former, "Here amongst us, yes. Michi couldn't find them, no matter how she tried. For they were one of us we'd likely never suspect."

"Someone like me...?" Shiori asked in awe.

I worried for a moment. Don't be alternate me, please...

"It started with a girl from Shinji's class..." Kojiro began a tale of justice, "Nari Kawasaki. She murdered her teacher who abused and violated her... I found her and protected her. That was when I realized I could destroy evidence to protect innocent killers... I was reluctant at first."

Shiori tilted her head, "Then why?"

Kojiro sighed, "People like you." He walked over to the window, glancing out, "Innocent people, young and old, targeted for being weak or accessible, preyed upon by monsters... Would I be a man who sought justice to let them go?"

"You let Nari get away with it..." I wondered to myself, "Who was Lorraine's first victim?"

"That's..." He thought on it for a moment, "I guess I can say. Hayato Pepper, Ryuu's old gaming partner... He was the first victim. That was where I met the one who would become Lorraine again..."

Shiori shrugged, "He was a bad man... Like the doctor at my school..."

"Why bring him up?" What did they do? What was Shiori saying?

"They were victim two... The physician was a smart man who acted kind... But he paid no attention to what that guy tried to do to me... I was in the infirmary, crying over the bullying. Mr. Akada comforted me and told me to act like it didn't matter. And he sent me to retrieve the first aid kit left in the physical education shed we keep for small injuries. I went in and found the equipment he left in there..." She stopped for a moment, remembering the worst moments in her past, "But then that guy came in... Tamiko's brother."

That was really heavy... "You mean... He was trying to force you into prostitution... Get you assaulted, record it, and blackmail you!?" I had heard of compensated dating programs being used as fronts, but this was the worst possible scenario.

Kojiro stared out through the window at Towa City, "I can't fix it. No one man can... But Lorraine, they went all in. Yakuza leaders, actors, politicians by the dozens... Even a Prime Minister or two felt the blade for these crimes..."

"Kojiro... Can you tell me?" I asked, "I won't rat them out, promise... I kept Kotoko's secret, for how long that lasted..."

Kojiro struggled with it, but Shiori asked, "Yeah... I need closure, too."

"Well... It's..." He turned to face us and finally said their name. It didn't register with me for the longest moment. I didn't; couldn't believe it.

The real member of us that was Lorraine was... Honoka herself... The girl who wanted to help Nari and felt powerless. She may have even killed the physician to protect Shiori at school, to make up for her game she made.

Shiori smiled to herself, closing her eyes peacefully, "I knew it... That you would never..."

"Is it that much better for me to be an accomplice?" Kojiro berated himself, "I made a mockery of my profession for this."

"That's not... true..." Shiori placed her hand against his, dangling by his side, "It's not wrong for me... to believe in you..."

Kojiro faced away from her, clutching his chest with his free hand, "Shiori-san..."

I walked over to Shiori's bedside and knelt beside her, "Regardless... Shiori...I just want to say that... That I still love you. Wholly." When I reached for her, she gave me her hand. I placed her hand against my chest, "This is what you do to me..."

"Naoya... You know..." Her voice had gone softer, "I had dreams as a young girl, all kinds. To be famous or rich or have ponies and superhero battles, all kinds of things... One of them was finding someone that made me feel the way you make me do..." She placed a hand on me, "I never had a dream come true until you found me..."

Kojiro rolled his eyes, "Bah... Young love. What a foolish notion..." He shot us a grin, "Not that I don't like the thought of you two taking care of each other."

Shiori moved her hand onto mine, "I want you to remember that there's more than just the nightmares that you have... There's dreams like mine... dreams of wonder... and love... Don't lose sight of that, okay?" She kissed me gently on the lips, struggling to reach me at her side.

I nodded, feeling myself tear up a bit, "Of course not, Shiori. I won't ever forget that... For you, for us..."

With a resolute smile, she nodded, "Good... Because... I feel like... I need a nap..."

She closed her eyes abruptly, smiling, her hand in mine... And then a loud blaring sound shook me from my trance. The sound of a machine's electronic flatline...

And when I realized the soft hand I'd had between mine had gone limp... I cracked.

Monokuma burst in, "What!? Did you think I'd bring her back!? No way, Jose! That execution was a delayed one!" He laughed outrageously, "She can't outlive the next victim! But living long enough for this was... enough for you guys, riiiiiiiiight?"

I ignored him. His words were like my soul; hollow. My humanity had been siphoned by that deceiving bear...

"Naoya... Naoya!" I couldn't even hear Kojiro now, drowned out in the deluge of my broken psyche... I felt something inside of me and take hold...

...

Feeling every part of my body revitalize, I stood and approached the door. Kojiro yelled at me one last time. "I have something to do, Kojiro."

I blocked out all that he said, returning to my room. Searching through my sets of clothes, I found the set I wanted. Dark black coat, blood-red shirt, and teal pants... Donning my favorite gear, I headed out and up to the roof.

Forcing the door open roughly, I approached the edge, intent on climbing down.

Predictably, my target tried to stop me, "Naoya, whatever are you doing!?" Monokuma exclaimed behind me.

I faced him with a cheeky smile, "I thought I'd just climb down, you know... Maybe kill you!" I lunged at that bear. Normal Naoya wouldn't like this, but I had had enough of his bullshit. I tore through the air, swiping at him. He noticed my intent to kill when he popped up, because he narrowly evaded my attack and struck claws upward, nearly swiping my side.

"Really, Naoya?" Monokuma chuckled, "I'm only a Tier 1 Monokuma... Are you certain you can live if you can't-"

Sliding in through his defenses, I thrashed him with a single punch, sending parts flying as the bomb detonated high in the sky.

"Who's next?" I asked the second Monokuma to appear.

"Attacking the headmaster is grounds for execution, Naoya." Monokuma threatened, claws bared, "Monokuma Tier 2 will punish you!"

Sensing a bluff, I charged for him, "Then do it."

He started sweating, "That speed... Is this the power of a Super-"

Gripping his throat, I crushed his lower half with a kick, a satisfying crunch as he shattered into pieces, tossing the upper half away as it exploded in the air falling to the ground.

"Tier Three..." Monokuma crept in with a scowl. Not wasting time like the others, he rocketed towards me and clawed my cheek. Or not. His pathetic claws didn't even scrape more than dead skin.

I just smirked at him.

Monokuma sighed, "I'm gonna get Yamcha'd..."

With a single punch, Monokuma was eradicated into parts. I would say this didn't make me feel like a God, but... Oh, who am I kidding? I am one.

A final Monokuma walked out, "Okay, the joke's worn thin... I, the greatest, Monokuma God Tier, will teach you a lesson!"

"What about Monokuma Tier 4? The hairy one with eye shadowing?" I joked.

"That's been made not canon and you damn well know it!" This Monokuma did manage to beat me, handily. I felt like Akane, not landing a single blow on him as he darted around my attacks with ease. It was a whole other level for robotics...

Monokuma stopped short of killing me, "What... Not got it in ya?"

"Killing you would ruin the game, Naoya... Only a spineless weak little vermin like you could possibly be the protagonist..." I wanted to challenge that assumption considering the parts around us, but I decided not to, "Besides... I didn't put poison in her IV..."

... What.

Monokuma threw a pad, much like a Monokuma File, and hit play. The video was clear, and each room was watched by a camera, "I mean, it's not against the rules to kill the victims, but I thought it was pretty scummy of them. Yes, even me..." Someone entered the infirmary and, with a small bottle in hand, filtered it into her machine. That... motherfucker!

I forced my body to my feet, reinvigorated in blinding rage. I would murder-... and then a headache overtook me, as normal me fought to be free. As I struggled, Monokuma left, taking the video with him...

And that was when I, Alter Naoya, realized... He wanted only me to know... So Naoya wouldn't get to know... That... brilliant... bastard...

And then, I collapsed.

For the second time today, I awoke to someone sitting at my bedside. A forlorn Kotoko was reading, not yet noticing I had awoken. Sitting up, she finally realized I was conscious, "Oh, Naoya... It's nearly nighttime..."

"Thanks... For bringing me here." I told her, still lucid from shock.

"Kojiro did... Monokuma told us she had... been too damaged by the fire. Even though she woke up, there was no guarantee she'd live..." For some reason, that felt off to me.

But why? The suddenness? The way she spoke... Falling asleep, huh? ..."Monokuma... You listening? I have a question."

Monokuma appeared soon enough, "Yeeeeeees?" He added, "Oh, and don't mind your other half. I decided to spare him-and you- for my own amusement..."

"That explains the parts of Monokuma we found..." Kotoko said under her breath.

"Shiori... If she had been killed instead..." Kotoko glanced at me, confused, "Would it still count as a murder?"

"I wish. If she, or any of the victims died because you all drag your feet, I'd have to trial you all... How boring." He then elaborated, "If even one of you got voted, since you all count as the Blackened, you'd be right. Then only they could be executed. Of course, you could then vote one of your group off to die, but where's the fun in that?" He sighed.

I asked another question I had in mind, "What if there's a tie and one's the Blackened?"

"Then both will be executed but you all live. You got it right but also chose the other as much... So I'd just label them both guilty. I get to execute two of yas but the rest live. A nice trade, yeah?" Was this just a business transaction to him? The update noise in our rules handbook suggested so.

"Finally... And keep this one to just you, Kotoko, and I..." Monokuma tilted his head, intrigued, "If a murder has occurred by one person and then one by another... who is the Blackened? Who do we search for?"

Monokuma thought for a moment, "Normally you'd think first one chronologically, but I'd say the one found first. And unless I decided to skirt the rules, you'll know if they go missing and don't even get found. I'll alert you when the trial begins..." He then added, "I could make it a trial when you find it later, but I haven't decided yet."

A dark part of me asked the last thing it had, "So if a body is found during an investigation, if someone murdered a second person... It's a wasted kill? They can't get charged if it's found?"

"Yep, that's exactly right! Of course, that also circumvents my rule. Two kills per Blackened, but if you don't become Blackened, your limit is endless... So I'll say one per chap-I mean, once per trial cycle." Feeling confident, he asked, "Planning on killing when a body's found, huh?"

The other self in my brain strongly resonated with the word yes. I kept silent.

"Naoya?" Kotoko tried to gauge how I felt, to draw out my answer.

Monokuma laughed, "Upupupupu! You don't have to tell me with a witness nearby! I'll understand! Guys can keep secrets, too!"

Kotoko disagreed, "Absolutely not! Naoya, please don't! Don't kill anyone, for any reason... If they did kill Shiori, we can discuss it as a group!"

"Big talk coming from a professional demon hunter," Monokuma shot back, "Try to redeem yourself all you want. How many innocents begged to live...? How many that you cut down regardless..."

Monokuma left, leaving Kotoko and I in silence, starkly contrasting our many other times together.

"Naoya... You can't-"

Silencing her, I spoke, "I have struggled since I arrived here. What my role is, what I want... Whether I will protect, or survive, or escape, or avenge..." I gripped my head with my hand, wiping my hair out of my face as tears dripped down. Using my other hand to deftly wipe them away, I continued, "Trapped in a city where no gods come to save us, where the sunshine doesn't reach us, where every day is another coin flip to lose another friend..."

Kotoko didn't interrupt me, listening to my plight.

"At times, it feels pointless. At times, I feel helplessness, anger, despair, hatred..." Shaking my head, I asked, "We're not here for things like hope or despair... Those concepts have run their course, and in such an unsatisfying way..." Walking to the window where sun peeks in, I glanced outside, "We're here for a game based on ideals. Justice and righteousness, selfishness and utilitarianism... Kicho wants to continue the game to live. She plays a role and acts like a monster to survive."

"Naoya..." Kotoko looked almost heartbroken at my words, unable or perhaps unwilling to stop me.

I stared at my own hands, "Kojiro, Taka, and Honoka all seek justice at the expense of others, the lives of others..." Kotoko gave a quizzical look when I included Honoka, but we'd cross that bridge later, "Akira, Maria, and Ryoji keep out of others' affairs and stick to their own world, letting tragedy occur all around them. For their own sakes..."

"That may be true, but-"

"We have those yet to decide how they play, like Aya, you, Hiro, and Ryuu," I wondered to myself, "Aya wants us to get along, but will she fight for it? You want to redeem yourself but will you kill for us? Hiro wants to seek justice for the past but will he follow through in the end, now that he's been thwarted once? Or will he forgive? And Ryuu... Ever the analyst, stepping back to separate feelings from facts... What shall he choose?"

Kotoko finally admitted, "It's true, I want to redeem myself for my crimes... But I don't want to kill. Even if it meant dying by Hiro's hands... I refuse to kill anymore!" She shouted that last part in proof of her determination.

I went through the last of us, "Narutoya and Sho have played villain and ally. Where their motivations will take them, I'm not sure..." I put a hand on my own chest, "Michi sought selfish truths in an ironic desire to crush the perceived selfish truths of others... Shiori died with belief in others, encouraging others... A pure soul who wanted to better the world... An idealist at heart." An idealist I had loved... and an idealist I had let slip through my fingers.

"And then... there's you... Are you an idealist, Naoya? Or a realist? A selfless giver... or a selfish taker? Where do you lie?" Kotoko turned my attention on myself now, hoping I'd give myself the same coverage.

"I could be a canvas, for others to impress upon me their views. I could be an empty carcass, the shadow of an idealist long dead. Where I lie, I do not yet know..." I thought to myself, "But this game embodies ideals and desires more than hope and despair... The question is... Which is good? Ideals or desires? Are there false ideals like false hopes or... is there something more?"

Kotoko pondered the question herself, "Desires are what we want. Everyone has them. Like wanting a family or wanting vengeance... Some can be considered evil, but the methods are what matter most." She added, "Same for ideals. Wanting a world without war isn't worth burning innocents to death to do it... Or so I'd hope."

I shot back, "And wanting a safe haven for children isn't worth mass genociding adults, either."

"That was unnecessarily brutal of you..." Kotoko said with a sad expression.

"I'm sorry for that... It just... gets the point across." I headed for the door, "Since it's so late, I'll head straight to bed. I hope tomorrow is better."

Kotoko, still pouting a little, asked, "Can we play later? I feel a bit left out..."

I nodded, giving her a smile, "Sure thing... I just need time to... Compose myself."

The trek back to my room went uneventfully. I just wanted to get a good night's rest...

 _Note: Shiori's awake scenes are her bonus for maxing her out. The bonus scenes BEGIN NOW...  
Without hers maxed out, she's alive but never wakes... So yeah. And now she's gone again... ;-;_


	34. When In Coma, Day Eleven

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Eleven**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

 _ **-Michi's Special Event-**_

I awoke at around 6 in the morning, much earlier than I expected or wanted to. Feeling overheated, I stepped out of bed and dressed myself. I decided to go for a walk. I stepped outside only to see Kojiro disarming our sensors, "Oh, Naoya..."

"Kojiro? Is now when you disarm them?" I asked, curious.

"I'm disabling them early today because someone made a request. Sho went down to the morgue for one reason or another," Kojiro answered, resetting the ones not in use, "Want me to hold yours, too?"

I nodded, "Yeah... I might go talk to him since I have a chance."

Kojiro understood, giving me a grunt and a wave.

As I headed down to the fourth floor, I wondered to myself whether Shiori would be stuffed in there now... Just remembering her peaceful face brought a tear to my eye.

Entering through the door to the morgue, I approached Sho glancing over a body. Michi's. She was slid out on a sci-fi like pod that had a see-through section to view her face.

"So you came to see her." I stated it plainly.

Sho must have been so engrossed in seeing her that for once he didn't notice my arrival, "Oh... Naoya... Did Kojiro tell you I was here?"

Perceptive, wasn't he? "He mentioned you were downstairs. Not what you were doing."

"I feel bad for him, you know?" Sho admitted, "Being blamed for being Lorraine... all because of this bitch."

"Calling her that... You loved her, right?" I spoke what I had felt from him, "Does it hurt to see her?"

Sho tacked his fingers on the pod, "Did it hurt to watch Shiori's life come to a close?" I cringed, "Worse, I checked what she was hooked up to. Someone added the poison they use to kill death row inmates... They put her to sleep, so to speak."

I had a feeling that was what happened. Not only subconsciously, but with how she seemed to... drift off... Like a dog being put down for its injuries or age.

"It was one of us, Monokuma said... If I knew who, I'd turn a blind eye if you wanted to..." He stopped short of saying the k word, "You must know how I feel... Knowing what could happen and not being able to stop it... I could never reel her in from hunting Lorraine... And damn did I try..."

"Did she ever say why?" I asked, sincerely curious, "Kojiro offered his opinions on her selfish ways, but I feel there has to be more."

Sho grimaced, "She never budged much on revealing her past. She lived in a very demanding home. Amy Chua level parents, or so I imagined. So of course, they encouraged and manipulated and even hurt her to succeed... And with that kind of upbringing, she developed this obsessive, spiteful want to prove others wrong..."

So Kojiro had been telling the truth on her attitudes, then. But the reasoning he never knew... "You should tell Kojiro. Give him some kind of closure."

"Maybe..." Sho shook his head, "Would she want me to win? To just survive? To kill Lorraine?" Sho dropped his hand away from her still pod, "She never expected to die. That unfounded confidence she had never wavered..."

I admitted to him, "When I dream, I can grasp the thoughts of the one dying. And I ensure you, most of her thoughts related to her accomplice, to her betrayal, to her enjoyment at finding Kojiro. But one thought remained at the last beat of her heart. " Sho glanced at me, ready to hear, "'Will Sho be alright without me? He was my friend, but more than that... Please let him be safe...' Those were the last thoughts that echoed in her mind." I was adlibbing her exact words, mixed and distorted as her mind was shutting down, of course.

Sho pushed Michi back into the rack and cursed under his breath as tears fell, "Then I better... I better live through this. And maybe... I can go to the first universe and... and make sure that she finds happiness with the me there... I'll tell her of our tragic end and hope... that that resonates with her."

"If you end up being unable to, I will. I promise you, Sho."

I held out my hand, and the crying Volunteer shook it with all his might, "You better, you bastard. Especially when you almost got us killed by the girls!"

I wanted to point out that was totally his fault, but kept it to myself, "Yeah, I get it."

 _ **-Event End-**_

The morning announcement woke me up with Monokuma's stomach-upsetting laugh.

"Upupupupu! It's the eleventh day since this wonderful killing game started! Remember... Day 14 is when the innocents will be executed! So if any of you have a plan to save them, now would be best!"

And after a few minutes, we all had gathered again in the room we ate in.

"This is bullshit..." Akira started us off with an angry comment, "Even if we sit and they just die, he never promised to let us out of here!"

"A good point..." Taka muttered, "If that is the case, that makes killing for them seem all the more desirable then... If we're stuck here anyways..."

Narutoya disagreed, "If we wait the bear out, he'll lose his motive. He might just be bluffing on killing them all."

"What about Shiori?" Aya asked an innocent enough question, but the blood drained in the faces of most of us regardless.

Sho spoke, "I said it for some of the others, but I will clarify here; one of us poisoned her." Some gasps came from the less warped and grizzled amongst us, "Someone in this room murdered her, but since she no longer was a player..."

"Who the fuck would kill Shiori!?" Maria sounded pissed, "Why, I'll kill them myself right here!"

Narutoya sighed, "Saying *that* won't get anyone to confess, you know."

"Perhaps it was Hiro. He's already bloodthirsty enough for the girls in our group..." Kicho earned herself a glare from Hiro and Kojiro.

"Bitch, what?" Hiro got up and approached her, hands at his sides, both of his legs wrapped in gauze from injuries he sustained, "You're the one who caused that... Maybe you did it!"

Kicho drank tea from her cup, pinkie out, not interested in the slightest, "Whoever did it is free of punishment. Unless you kill them, you won't get rid of them. And even if I had done it, would you attack me here? In front of others?"

Maria rebuked her, "If you _had_ killed her, we wouldn't stop him this time."

"Should our leader really be saying that?" Kojiro tried to correct her raucous behaviour, "And besides, then Hiro would die. And I'm not for throwing away lives like a politician far from the field of battle."

Honoka sighed and ignored the others, "Kicho, I'll punish you myself. Quiet."

Kicho hushed up at that, knowing Honoka would live up to that promise.

"To think one of us would kill someone after what happened..." Akira sounded heartbroken, "Humans really never learn..."

Sho shrugged, "What can you do? We can't just go on a witch hunt, so we should just drop it for now. Otherwise, Monokuma might motivate one of us to kill."

Aya freaked out at the thought, "No! We can't keep doing this! We know what happened to Makoto... To Hajime... To Ryouta and Munakata... To Shinji... And to us in universe 2... We can't just give in to these never-ending killing games! They have to be ended!"

"I wish... that it would stop," Ryoji sounded defeated, "But what can we do? Naoya tried to fight Monokuma, and he lost. Even if we all tried..."

Maria laughed, "Right. How did even the weakest Monokuma lose to a guy like Naoya?"

"You don't really... want to meet him," Hiro mentioned, rubbing his legs, "The bastard even beat me... I'd be interested to see if anyone here could take him on..."

I felt him rise within me, "If you really want to... meet him... Now's your chance..."

...

Coming to, I grinned at the other thirteen survivors, "Oh, hey there... Alter Naoya here. Although, I've been thinking... I want my own name. A name for a new personality... Any ideas!?"

"The aura coming from this guy is..." Akira seemed stunned by my natural beauty, of course.

Kotoko stepped back, "This is... it. The Naoya that hurt Hiro..."

"Oh, I just protected myself..." I savored the taste in my mouth. Not full of blood for once, "So, anyone wanna test my strength?" I flexed, enjoying my preferred outfit. That beta me knew not to change back.

Kojiro placed himself in between me and the others, "Know your place! You have no right to run around using Naoya's body! Alternate personality or not, I won't tolerate it!"

I cracked my neck to one side, "Oh, maybe Aya? She could beat Hiro, too. Maybe the Policeman will volunteer... Or maybe Sho, even..." Ah, that reminds me! "Tenebris... I think that fits a being like myself..."

"Enough of this..." Kojiro held a hand out, "I will subdue you if need be. Bring Naoya back!"

Flying towards him, I laughed, "Call me Tenebris, bud!" I reached for his throat but he jumped back with relative ease. Oh, he does fight!

Kojiro reached for his gun in an attempt to intimidate me, but I gripped his arm like a vice and held it to his stomach, "Y-you... If you insist..." He headbutted me with full force, forcing me to let go.

"That's the way!" I laughed, jumping back, "Glad to see you're willing to fight to live..." Cracking my neck the other way, I asked, "And the rest of you? Will you be made subservient to a creature like Monokuma? A weakling like him putting you all down..."

"But he beat you, didn't he?" Taka fired back, uncharacteristically direct for him.

"At least I've tried. I won't just wait until he hurts Satsuki before I react..." I reveled in the pure hatred Taka's eyes generated in my direction, "But really, you're all so disappointing... To think Naoya considers you friends."

Akira walked toward me, putting on stylized flaming gloves, her name etched into either side; first name on the left, last name on the right, "Do I need to sit the bad boy down?"

I sensed that she would make good on that threat, "Look, I just think it's sad. Kicho letting a kid die? She's a heartless bitch, but can she really be that evil? Isn't it just an act she uses to keep herself alive?" Kicho refused to meet my eyes, "Then again, setting up Hiro and Kotoko to die before we were given an actual motive was very... calculated on her part."

"I don't like that she did it..." Hiro cursed, "But it's my dumb ass that went and fell for it!"

"Taka can't forgive himself for what he did, but after killing so many people, some innocents, too... Well, if your hands are stained red, why not turn them black too!?" I knew exactly how to antagonize them all, "Or maybe Aya wants to save that vegetable of hers... Maybe Kotoko will save a demon for once... Hiro could save the victims and repent for his sins... So many options for a Blackened... It's exciting!"

Ryuu walked toward me, disgusted, "Are you serious!? Is this just a game to you Naoya!?"

Grabbing his shirt collar, I clicked my tongue at him, "Tenebris, Ryuu... Certainly the dragon can understand the darkness..." I tossed him aside, slicking my hair back, "Nevertheless, I can't maintain control for long... But the more this game goes on, the more I can let loose... So whether you guys end up killing normal Naoya or not... His time is limited."

...

I nearly fell to the floor, clutching the side of my head in pain, the last vestiges of my lesser half fading into my subconscious. When I could see the others, they were mostly distanced from me, with varying expressions of anger, sadness, or indifference.

"This is a wrinkle in our group." Sho responded to the silence, "More than a manipulative bitch and an almost Blackened, even..."

Maria sighed, "We should probably disband... For now." She looked worn herself.

One by one, the group splintered off. What had I done or said? Dammit... If I could only remember my other self's actions, I at least would be able to control the damage!

 _ **-Taka's Special Event-**_

Wanting to try and make up for my alternate self, I decided to visit some of the people I had personally attacked. Not too surprisingly, I found Taka by Satsuki's bedside in the coma ward on the seventh floor, listening to her breathing with intent.

"Taka? I wanted to apologize..."

Taka didn't even need to face me, "I get it, Naoya... You don't remember what _he_ said or did, do you?"

I wished, "That's the gist of it. He knows my memories, but I don't know his." How unfair was that? "He was born out of my circumstances to protect me when others tried to kill me, 'cause of my talent."

"That's rough, Naoya..." Taka and I hadn't spoke much since we last bonded, and he had confided to me the true weight of his crimes, "I'm kinda shocked you still care about me. No one here seems to."

"That's..." I couldn't tell him he was wrong, "You do get ignored a lot, but Ryoji notices you. And Narutoya stopped stealing credit and treating you poorly."

He didn't act like that mattered, "At least he paid me some attention." He shook his head, "Not to sound like I'm dependent on abuse. My life wasn't that bad before that school..."

I decided to finally ask, "Taka. I know you feel guilty for Satsuki, I do... But you avenged her. And when I really think, it doesn't make sense. If what they did to her broke her, why do you hate yourself?"

"I let it happen." He answered robotically, as if on script.

"No. Ryoji sold you out," I rejected his answer, "You should hate him. Especially since he escaped your justice... Which makes me wonder why Satsuki wasn't there. Why you did that at a sports meet."

Taka faced me with a glare, "Is your evil half telling you to say this?"

I wish it was that convenient, "What really happened to Satsuki, Taka? Why wasn't she there?"

"I didn't think anyone would pick apart my words just to needlessly hurt me," Taka's gaze shifted back to Satsuki, "Fine. I'll admit it. You've listened to the rest of my story so far..."

"You were involved, right? That's where your guilt complex comes from." I hit the nail on the head; he flinched when I accused him.

Taka placed his hands on his lap, "Truth is, she didn't go into a coma from the shock and trauma. No... Instead..." He hesitated to speak further, but when he pieced together how much I wanted to know, he started again, "They had broken her... Her mind was gone, lost to me. I tried to... to get her back to normal, to heal her... But she..." He slammed his fist on the tray next to her IV and bent the metal inward to form a huge dent, "I lost it. Control of myself and my mind... I struck her with everything I had. I wanted to beat sense into her... She landed on her head and... and blood poured out and... and she never woke up and... that's when I... I killed so many people..." His tears flowed as he fell to his knees, "I see their faces in my dreams! I didn't just kill evil! I killed all my other friends, the ones I'd been helping!"

So he spared not even them. That was tragic in its own way.

"I hated them... They had participated in this evil... So I felt the urge to end their lives, too... Only after did I realize how much they must have cared about me, about her..." Taka's glasses fell off, and he let them slide, "I'm worse... than Lorraine. They target criminals. I killed everyone that meant anything to me... and Satsuki's here... because of me!"

That was when I slapped Taka. He fell over, nearly crushing his glasses, his shocked expression in awe of my throbbing hand, "That's not true!" I grabbed his shoulders, "Didn't she love you, Taka!? She looked up to you, didn't she!?" I was guessing from everything I knew, and that he had said, "She risked her life to work with you. So you could help her... But did she even need it!?"

"...I don't think so. Her grades were exemplary. She just went along with my plans... So?" He couldn't see the obvious truth.

"Then think! Why would she aid you if she was perfectly safe!? Why did she protect your name despite what they did to her!?" His eyes had their color return, the black replaced with the vigor of a beautiful ocean blue; perhaps the original color of this broken boy. "She loved you, Taka! And if she knew the facts, and everything you did for her, she'd forgive you! I'm certain of that!"

Taka growled and jumped up to his feet, pushing me back, "What makes you think that!? You're just an arrogant bastard!"

I screamed, "Because! My father forgave me, didn't he!?"

Taka went to speak, but instead fell silent.

"I wasn't able to convince mom... He lost the woman he loved... And then my guilt of Kotoko caused me to distance myself from him..." I felt guilt for Kotoko, even knowing it wasn't really all my fault. But my father, now that I knew... "I took his family from him, but still... He still tried to save me! He came here and was murdered in cold blood... to help ME!" Taka was taken aback as I exploded in tears and anger, "So don't you tell me there's a limit to forgiveness! That there's limits to love! You're here right now because of it! You live each day suffering in guilt on the hopes she wakes up... So don't play stupid, ya hear!?"

"N-naoya..." He fell to his knees at her bedside and gripped the sheets, "Satsuki! You hear me!? I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes... And if Monokuma takes you, I'll find you... In the next life... and I'll make good on my promise. For us... for our future... I, Taka Suzuha, swear on that with every part of me!"

I felt that my work had been done. As he held her and gave me one last nod of approval, I took my leave. He carried the burdens of his crimes, just like the rest of us, like Kotoko... And if I was so intent on helping her, I had to do it for everyone. Just looking at Taka as I left, I realized how much he needed it, too.

 _ **-Event End-**_

 _ **-Hiro's Special Event-**_

I needed to see Hiro. His injuries would last awhile, and I was wholly responsible. I made my way to the third floor and knocked on the door to the room he changed his gauze in, "May I come in?"

"Yeah, whatever..."

Leaning against the open door until it swung inwards, I found Hiro wiping down his legs with warm water from a small washbasin, rag in hand, "Hiro."

Hiro didn't dare look at me, "I... I'm not causing trouble, okay? D-don't hurt me again."

"You know that wasn't... really me," I tried to reassure him, but he gave no indication that it mattered to him, "I have a number of things I'd like to say, but..."

"Shoot for it," Hiro gave me a sorrowful look, "I understand if you'll hate me now. Kicho may have anticipated this outcome."

I didn't know what to say about that. Kicho was an enigma to me, "It's just... I understand that you hate Kotoko. She took your family from you. I get it. In some way, I took my own from me. My inability to save them made me hate myself for a long time."

Hiro scoffed, "When did that change?"

"I found something to fight for, to believe in," I held out my hand, "My friends," I pointed at him, "You had them, and yet you acted so brashly. This is why you're here, Hiro. You did that to Sho's brother, and now to Kotoko too. Do you intend on repenting?"

"Did you seriously come here to fuckin' preach to me!?" He was frustrated now, "I don't need that from a man who's half psycho."

I expected that kind of biting comment from Kicho, but Hiro? "If you don't repent, you'll die," He stopped mid motion, "Michi didn't."

Hiro stuttered, "S-so? That would be a burden lifted on the rest of yas..."

"I don't want you to die. Contrary to popular belief, I stand by my friends," Was there a limit to my forgiveness? Perhaps not... I guess my other self took all the spite and hate from my heart. I felt incomplete, not that I could voice that. I couldn't possibly fix that.

"I'm no friend. I tried to kill you," Hiro decisively rejected my friendship.

A reasonable thing to think, "I decide on who my friends are. Hiro... You wanted more, didn't you?" I had to reason with him, "To beat Aya, to achieve your dream. Isn't that the point?"

Hiro pursed his lips and then spoke with a melancholy tone, "I had a cousin, once."

"Cousin?"

"Kariya, my uncle, is all that's left of my family," Hiro explained, "After my ma and pa got killed... I moved in with Uncle Kariya and Cousin Misuzu. She was... my biggest fan."

That sounds cute, especially from a tough bruiser like Hiro, "Was?"

Hiro didn't cry, unlike many other people. He just held it in as he spoke on a subject that clearly tore at his heartstrings, "I became a fighter to raise money for her. She was diagnosed with a horrible birth defect... Kinda like Aya's older sister. But she was always a better footwork expert. And her sister lived long enough to get treatments... My cousin... didn't."

"Hiro... No..." It all clicked, "She didn't take your dream of being number one... No, she took sponsors. And she took the ability to save family... She saved hers, and yours was left to..."

"Even in a socialized healthcare country like Japan, experimental research is extremely unprofitable in the short term. So of course I needed money, hand over fist... Kariya was so desperate, he got involved in some shady dealings with a guy who got off on despair... Much like Junko." Hiro mused on the story, "He must have hurt Uncle, since he's here."

So his anger is born from helplessness? Sick of a world so complicated, he resorts to simple power, "Ah. You knew Kotoko would never be charged because of the circumstances. So if we did escape, she'd only have her own thoughts to punish her. You felt that was insufficient, and resorted to how you always solved problems. With violence."

Hiro sighed, finishing off the work on his knees, "And now I'm the most wanted dead man here. Everyone hopes I'm next, and I can't blame them. Hindsight is 20/20. Kotoko didn't deserve to die like how I'd planned. And being Kicho's tool just pisses me off even more!"

"We'll deal with Kicho when we get out of here," And not a moment sooner. I refused to let anyone die, even if it meant keeping an awful person like that around, "Promise me, Hiro. That you won't ever resort to violence when your friends are here. Me, and Ryoji, Aya and Ryuu... We're all conflicted. We don't wish to leave you behind... So please..."

"If I can, I will. But if... if something hard needs to be done, I will die to save you guys," He wouldn't budge based on his tone, "And don't forget our promise... If we die, smile. So that if we meet in the next life or after this one... It'll be a positive reunion, not a sad one."

I shook his hand firmly, "I promise, Hiro. I won't forget that."

 _ **-Event End-**_

 _ **-Kojiro's Special Event-**_

I expected to see many people visiting the coma ward today. I wasn't prepared to see Kojiro weeping over his father's body.

Saying nothing at first in the hopes of not interrupting him, I went to leave. He stopped me, "No... Come back."

"You noticed me?" I asked, stepping up to him, "And I thought I was being quiet."

Kojiro didn't wipe his tears, focused on his father, "It's my job to notice things like this. I'm still an Ultimate, no matter how shameful I must look right now."

He was still being a hardass to himself, too? "There is no shame in mourning. In regretting past mistakes. It takes a true adult to admit to mistakes..."

"Heh. Maybe..." He didn't sound sure at all!

"I came here to see if you were alright. Considering that your father is here. And since none of the rest seem to want to trust ya..." I sighed, "Maybe if we sold Honoka out, they'd-"

"I refuse," Kojiro plainly spoke, "I will not make her a target for murder."

He still didn't get it, "But you should be? You should be treated like this!?" He glanced back at his father, "Honoka at least has Ryuu. And us... You don't have anyone but me to trust you... And Honoka... She must feel awful having to isolate you... But if she didn't, they might get it in their heads that she has something to do with you... I assume you shooed her off, then?"

"You're not a dumb one... Actually, you're quite observant," Kojiro turned and placed his hand over his mouth in contemplation, "I'd suspect you to be the mastermind, were I forced to choose."

Oh... "Really?"

Kojiro nodded, "Unfortunately, yes," He then elaborated, "They have to be involved in our affairs. Not an outlier, like myself... Or Hiro, Kicho, or Taka... Then they have to be intelligent, to seamlessly blend in..."

"Sho could fit the bill, too. And Honoka, Kotoko, even Ryuu..." I hated spitballing on who it would be, but it would inevitably have to be dealt with if it was true. I just wished that Shinji could shed some light on our dire situation.

"True, there are other options. I had considered them too... Truthfully, I hope Shinji's wrong. But Michi and Shiori's case... Someone manipulated her trap and used it to cause that," Kojiro sounded heartbroken again, "Perhaps they also..." Ah... He thinks they may have also finished the job, too. The mastermind could have killed Shiori.

I somehow doubted that, "They're... not in it for despair, right? They came here for another reason. I don't think killing Shiori after the fact is on them. Otherwise, Monokuma would have just ended it."

Kojiro disagreed, "What if her untimely end was to sow dissent and distrust amongst us? "

"We had enough with Kicho's actions already." I rejected that idea.

"True enough, I suppose." He bowed to his unconscious father and turned his attention to me. "Add our motive and my alternate self, we have enough dissent. And they didn't do it for just despair, so it seems unlikely they would. I think saying the mastermind did her in..." Though I loathed saying this, it was the conclusion I'd reached, "It's a little too convenient to pass every bad thing off as 'the mastermind did it'. And whoever did this might have thought to cover it up with that same line of thought."

Kojiro smiled wryly, something of a rarity in these turbulent times of our lives, "Oh... It seems some of my personality has rubbed off on you if you can think of things so objectively..." Sighing loudly, he stepped over to the window, "Were it up to me, I'd say the mastermind is all that's wrong in our group. Then I wouldn't feel so awful about Shiori... I want it to be them, so I have a clear enemy... I don't want to believe that one of us... killed someone so precious to me!"

"Kojiro!" I gripped his shoulder tightly, "I get your pain... Really, I do... I loved her!"

His eyes watered again, "Naoya..."

I let go of him, "You can't just blame yourself... If you do, you have to blame me too. We'll find who did it and punish them. I don't care who, they will pay... But we're not resorting to killing them and we're not losing hope. You understand!?"

"I... I can't die here. Not while Shiori's killer remains." He nodded, "I understand, yeah... I have to use my talent one last time to determine who it is. If I can do that... I'll have been useful to you guys in even a small way."

"Then get to it, Kojiro... I expect only the best." I smiled and we shook on it, a promise between friends.

 _ **-Event End-**_

 _ **-Sheena's Special Event-**_

I decided to head to the rooftop to find some time to think. I never expected to see Shinji sitting atop the venting compartment on the roof.

"Shinji?" I asked, curious.

"Naoya..." Shinji's face was cleaned up, no longer covered in bits of dirt and oil.

Why was he back? "Oh... Right. If... If anything weird happened before between us-"

Shinji shrugged, "I understand. Your second half, huh?" He chuckled, "I was surprised. Even if I fought him, it'd be an easy victory for me... But I didn't think it'd be right to just beat you up, too."

"Don't make it a challenge. He's a dumbass." I boldly said, ignoring the anger in my subconscious.

"I do have news for you guys, but... I'm at a loss for words right now. I... I mentioned Michi and Shiori being found, but... Well, I found the Sheena from universe 1. Someone I suspect might be related to your game directed me to her location," Shinji casually revealed this to me.

That was a relief, "So she's not the mastermind either?"

Shinji nodded, "I thought it would be likely, considering her leadership in universe 2... Now I have another suspect from universe 2 to have come here. Neither her nor Junko..."

"Thankfully..." I laughed, "We've all had enough of Junko, huh?"

"Sheena is the closest person to me of your group," Shinji outright stated that, surprising me, "Of everyone here, I think she deserved this the least. She only got dragged in because of... of you."

He said that last bit with quite the anger. Did he blame me for her death? "I never wanted her to be here either, Shinji. None of us."

He shook his head, a smile spreading, "Oh, you thought... Non, non. It's me I have such anger towards... I spent what felt like years trying to save all of my friends... And when I finally did by sacrificing myself, I just ended up creating problems for others."

"Right... The original you died, huh?" The him from the 'real universe', universe 1.

"And I'm the him that chose to live at a great cost..." He sighed, "I'm glad Sheena is safe. Would you... indulge me by listening to her tale?"

I wondered, "Why?"

He glanced to the city below, his eyes dull, "Since she's gone from this world, I wanted someone to carry on her wishes, her pain... I don't want her death to be meaningless."

"You never mentioned how well you knew her, huh?"

"Then let me start... with how we met...

 **-Flashback... Shinji's POV-**

The others had left me to meet Jun's sister all alone. What a pain... I scratched my hair absentmindedly, "What even can I say?"

I knocked on the door to the small house and a kind woman greeted me, "Oh... Is it Shinji already!?"

"You were waiting... Sorry." It had only been two weeks since I had confronted the group from the last killing game. By my estimates, Sheena would only be ten or eleven.

"No, it's fine. I'm certain Sheena will love to hear stories of her sister," The last part made the woman frown only briefly, "Please, come inside..."

As I stepped inside, the mood suddenly fell. A man with greying hair was smiling and playing dolls with a young girl, hair white as snow and cerulean eyes. She laid eyes on me and stepped back, afraid. A timid girl, to be sure.

"Sheena, this is Shinji... This is the guy that meant so much to Jun, remember?" Her mother calmly explained, but that only made Sheena give me a fierce look of hatred.

She ran up to me and flailed at my legs, hitting me weakly, "I hate him! I hate him! He took big sis from me!"

Her father grabbed her and pulled her away, "Sheena, please. He came all this way to tell you about her! Apologize this instant!"

She wriggled out of his grip and ran out of the room in a huff, "No way! I hate him!"

I laughed awkwardly, "Well, that's about what I expected."

Her mother nodded, "I knew she might dislike you, but this reaction... You'll just have to try again."

"Understood, Miss Midoriko," I nodded and headed for the door, "I'll be on call, so... Any time."

 **-Flashback End-**

"Why did she act that way?" Confused, I wanted answers, "Sure she should distrust you, but... That reaction is a little much from a delicate flower like her."

Shinji didn't seem to be the man to cry, but his face indicated he was close, "Her past was... horrible.

Her parents loved each other at first, until their home became broken. It was an older boy named Suzukaze, Jun, and Sheena, just born at the end. The mother was an alcoholic, a drug abuser, and a harlot. Her reputation was horrid, and what's worse, she falsified evidence against her husband. When they were divorced, they both lost rights; her for her ineptitude, and him for her sabotage.

The father they loved so deeply was stolen from them."

"Then they went up for adoption, right?" I asked, somewhat depressed by the story already.

Shinji coughed once and cleared his throat,

"They went to an uncle. Uncle Kanata was the worst person they could have chosen. He... he abused Suzukaze, even sexually, to the point it warped him. Kanata would beat Suzu and Jun regularly, and Suzu broke. He started bullying Jun too. All she had was Sheena, and she took care of her alone. She would take beatings for her and take the blame always... Until one day, Kanata was arrested and jailed. Then Jun and Suzukaze were adopted by Jun's grandmother, a kindly woman. Sheena was taken from them despite their wishes and given to another family, supposedly to escape the painful past."

I felt my heart sink, "Why... did they take her anyways!? Why did Jun go through all that... just to lose her!?"

Shinji wiped his face off, the story ringing painfully for him, "She and I asked that question many times. We never found out... Eventually, Jun reunited with her father... But he one day treated her horribly, too. Saying she was a mistake, that she was just as awful as her mother. Jun went through... so much. So when I found out she was going to be allowed by Sheena's family to meet her, I was ecstatic. I took her out to celebrate, and I intended to propose where we met."

"That was the night... she was killed." I could deduce that much.

"Sheena hated me... With good reason. Everyone in her life besides her adopted parents were cruel monsters... She only knew of me as the guy to last see big sis alive. Since she was originally home schooled, she never had friends... Hope's Peak would have been the first. She was so lonely..." He struggled to speak for a moment, "The friends she had in this city were... just people that worked with her parents. Not people her age, or ones who understood her. She died, completely and utterly alone here... Except for perhaps you."

I sighed, "The guy whose life she ruined... She wanted to bring her sister back so much, just to see her again?"

Shinji denied that, "No, it's something simpler... She was repaying Jun. Jun saved her life a few times... Naturally, she wanted to pay her big sis back in the only way possible. She struggled for years studying into the night, foregoing sleep, breaking laws and digging up bodies just to do it. I've never seen a girl so dedicated..."

"Then why was she the mastermind in your home universe?" That answer mattered to me now.

"I think it was... to get back at me. Because of her actions, I had to step in and stop her. And she reveled in hurting me, poking at my losses... I managed to save her victims, but she didn't die by my hands... No, at her own." He sounded upset about that, "I just... wanted to reform her. I would have spared her, but she feared me. Like the one in universe 1, she chose to attack me, and then to run... All I've done is cause her trouble. That's why... I'm glad I could save her." He smiled, a serene one, the one time he had no mixed feelings displayed in his posture and body language.

That was hard for him to talk about, "Thank you, Shinji. For telling me."

His smile gave way to a more serious expression, "Thank you for listening, Naoya... I figured if anyone would, you would... She seemed to harbor feelings for you," he decided to joke a little, "When I saved her, she wanted to know if you'd been found. She missed you..."

I didn't know how to take that, "Oh, uh..."

Shinji stood up, "I'll make the announcement for what I learned tonight. So... Look forward to that."

"Understood. See you soon, Shinji," I waved and headed downstairs, having learned more about him and Sheena than I'd ever expected to. He was a bleeding heart where it counted, huh?

 _ **-Event End-**_

Noticing it was just the beginning of the day, I decided to spend it well.

 ***Free Time Event***

I can't just stand around idly... I have to preoccupy myself somehow...

 ***Free Time Event***

I'm shocked there's daylight left. Now what can I do to make the most of it?

 ***Free Time Event***

It was nearing seven PM when Maria called us all together. I was the last to arrive and was surprised to see Shinji standing in the midst of our group, ready to speak more on our situation.

"This time it's good news," Shinji started.

Hiro scoffed at the thought, "Until we're out of here, there is no good news."

Shinji sighed, "I mean... So my team was contacted by one... Monaca Towa."

"What!?" Kotoko exclaimed in shock, "Like, the one from universe 1!?"

"I'll get to that. She led us to Sheena's location. The Sheena from universe 1 hadn't yet been released... Allegedly the mastermind was using her to try and trick my group into suspecting her. But after talking it over with Akira, we decided the culprit has to still be among us. They were the one to mess with Michi's plan, after all..."

Sho growled, "So the mastermind is why she and Shiori..." He crushed his glass into shards in his hands, unable to hide his fury, "We can't... forgive them."

Shinji said nothing of the matter, "In fact, the Monaca we encountered was from this universe of all things. Unlike the first, she never went to space and instead remained here in Towa City, hiding from the law. She must have heard of the plans of the mastermind and got herself involved. In the end, she sold them out. And the news is startling..."

"What is it!?" Honoka asked, sounding nervous.

"Turns out that that the Monaca Towa from universe 2 was instrumental in aiding Sheena in setting up the game. The resources, the Monokumas, the masterminding... In the end, Monaca let Sheena handle things. She wanted to punish me, but I had left that world... When I returned, she turned her attention to me and let the others escape. And Monaca, deciding it'd be fun, set them on her," Shinji sighed, "Some people never change..."

Kotoko frowned, unable to say anything back.

Shinji shook his head, "I'd like to stop with this time travel talk, but... Monaca from my home universe is likely here, leading the person from the first universe... We did DNA tests on the messed up body we found in Sheena's lab... And *that* was Junko... Meaning she isn't masterminding this game, as I began to suspect."

"That explains the inconsistencies between this game and the others," Ryuu noted, looking over his notes, "So Monaca Towa is the mastermind?"

The hesitation Shinji gave us was picked up on. "Are you not sure?" Narutoya asked, chiming in.

"Well, after the Towa City incident, she's found more joy in leading others to plan. Like with Sheena... She might not be the only person from my home. That's just a guess. I have no evidence yet to back it up... Regardless, you're one step closer to the truth. The mastermind is still alive, not Sheena."

Akira took another sip from her flask, "A small update. Almost meaningless to us. We're just as screwed as before you told us."

"It reminds us to not be so trusting..." Kicho had to say it, huh?

Shinji took his leave, and when I got back to my room, I passed out immediately. What would tomorrow hold? Would we find more clues? Would someone risk their lives for the coma victims? And... would I be willing to out them?

I didn't know who was on duty tonight. Kojiro had it rotating between us, but he might not be able to trust me because of... of *him*.

Well, nothing I can do about it besides get those medications... Time to sleep.


	35. When In Coma, Day Twelve

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Twelve**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I awoke to nothing in particular. No startling noises, no pounding on my door, no people straddling me or trying to stab me...

It was both disappointing and enjoyable.

I sat in bed, thinking about how I wanted to spend today. We were nearing the end of the time we had to save the victims. I had lost mine, but it didn't mean someone else might not push their luck.

All I could really do was believe in my friends, I guess.

 _ **-Kicho's Special Event-**_

Kicho Taika was a master at manipulating our emotions. Love, envy, distrust, hatred, she could get us to display any. Which made it all the more painful for me to confront her over her recent actions. Was the person I got to know just a lie?

I couldn't just sit and accept it. I hard to understand, or to at least learn if I could.

She was lounging in the dining hall alone with nobody to talk to, no one to that it surprised me in the slightest. Reap what you sow and all that.

"Kicho."

She nearly jumped back when I called out her name. Still skittish after Honoka had smacked her up.

"Oh... Naoya. You startled me." Kicho tried to regain her haughty attitude, but that had long since passed.

How? "Kicho, I have a bone to pick with you." I walked up to her, "We spent time together, right? So why... Why have you become this way?"

Kicho rolled her eyes, "I am playing the game. That is what we are supposed to do, yes?"

"The only way to win a killing game is not to play," I argued, "Had Hiro killed Kotoko and been executed, someone would have killed you. You know that, right?"

"Antagonists make it to the end," she didn't sound so sure anymore, "And those two are... without a doubt, the most expendable..."

I had to ask her what I intended to from the start, "I don't get why you've become this way, but I'll ask... Did you kill Shiori?" She glanced at me from the side of her eye, "If any part of our bonding actually mattered to you, I NEED to know."

Kicho hesitated for the longest time but eventually spoke, "It was necessary for our survival."

"Kindly tell me how the FUCK that was necessary..." I demanded to know.

"She was the strongest motive," Kicho finally said, "You and Kojiro especially, but anyone here could have killed for her. No one wanted to watch her die once... Now twice?"

I shook my head in exasperation, "Yeah, I'll buy that. You were tempted to kill to save her, so you killed her instead. Fuck off with that!"

Kicho sighed, "Proving my point, kid. I don't expect you to agree with my methods. I just believe that it'll work."

"And if I kill you for what you did?" I threatened.

"Then the one person I still care for left in this group might live..." She tried to touch me, but I jumped back in disgust, "I do care. For you, and Honoka... And... him."

I headed for the door in a rage, "I agree with him. You're just his mistake. You deserve everything bad that happens to you."

She chuckled to herself, thinking I was out of earshot, "That's the first time I heard that aloud."

I ignored her comment and left the room. Whether I ever understood her at all, I could never believe what she did. Whether she cared about us or not, I was done with her.

In the end, I learned one thing; not everyone deserves to be befriended, to be forgiven, to be accepted. *Some* people... like him... don't deserve attention or care.

 _ **-Event End-**_

I have some time to kill. Now just how do I want to do it?

 ***Free Time Event***

I checked the clock. Definitely enough time to hang out with someone before the night meeting.

 ***Free Time Event***

 _ **-Ryuu's Special Event-**_

After a long time, it neared 5 PM. I decided to meet up with Ryuu to go visit Tamiko. He intended to say goodbye to her and wanted me there for moral support. When I found him standing in the hallway by the stairs, his face was starkly white.

He looked in my direction when he heard my footsteps. "You're here." He said, his voice was shaky, his anxiety clear, "I was starting to worry I'd have to do this on my own..."

"It's alright. I'm here as promised..." We started walking up the stairs together, not a word spoke between us. When we reached the seventh floor and moved toward the coma wards, I tried to lighten the sullen mood, "So...Gonna confess your love all over again?"

"I... I wish I could..." He shook his head. "If I'm honest, I'm still not entirely sure what I'm going to say... My thoughts are all torn up and tied in a knot every which way."

Part of me that it was funny that the ever thoughtful Ryuu would be this hard up for answers. We reached the doors and I sighed, "We only have to the fourteenth day... It's best to get this over with now."

He nodded. "I know..." He went quiet until we reached room 10. He paused for a moment, just staring at the door in silence.

I didn't have much to say. I opened the door for him and let him go first.

He shook his head, took a deep breath, and stepped inside. "Hey, Tamiko..."

Unlike the others, it seemed Tamiko had awoken. She glanced over at Ryuu with sunken eyes, a husk of what she once was. Monokuma wasn't clear on how badly the brain damage had affected her, but in this moment it didn't bode well.

Ryuu swallowed audibly and walked over to her, and knelt beside her. "How are... How are you feeling..?"

"Ryuu..." She uttered just his name, feeling it out in her mouth, "Did you do it...? Did you make our dream game?"

"I..." He nodded, tearing up. "I did... I was... Holding out... Hoping you'd get better... So you could be the first one to play it..."

I had no idea what they meant, "Dream game?"

Tamiko interjected with slow, methodical words, "A game... that would touch my heart... In a way no other has..." She smiled, "But if... Ryuu was just... himself... He could already."

Ryuu went quiet, taking all he could not to break down in tears. "Tamiko..."

"Don't... be sad Ryuu..." She weakly reached for him, "I... am still here... We can... be together now... right?"

Oh... Monokuma didn't even have the decency to tell them.

"Tamiko... I..." Small teardrops fell to the floor. "I... I wish we could... I wish we could wake up from this like a bad dream..." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and looked at me, unable to explain it himself.

She shook her head, "The only dream I have left... after losing big bro and...my friends... is to be with you... It's why I... survived... Even... in my dreams... from when... I was comatose... I only dreamt of... seeing you again... We can be a... family now..." She reached out for his hand, weakly, desperately.

Ryuu gently took her hand, placing both hands on hers. "Tamiko..." He went silent, tears falling to the floor tiles as she speaks to him.

"What's... wrong, Ryuu? Aren't... these tears of joy?" She was confused now, the question mark above her head clear to us both.

Ryuu shook his head slowly. "Tamiko... In... In 2 days... You're going to..." He had to stop as the tears overtook him, and he sobbed uncontrollably. "... Die..."

Tamiko seemed even more startled, "...But I'm... feeling... better..."

He shook his head "And I'm... More happy than you could imagine to hear that... But... You... And several others like you... You're being used against us..." He took a breath as he tried to piece the words together. "If... If no one commits a murder... You'll all be executed. And if the murderer gets caught, they'll get executed... If they don't, everyone else will..." He sighed in frustration.

"Isn't this... just a game? You've always been... so creative... That's why I... fell in love with...you..." She leaned back against the bed, "I'm tired... A nice bear gave me food... And told me... that you'd save me... So I won't worry... about that..." And she passed out. Luckily, she was still breathing. I watched the rise and fall of her chest to make sure.

He shook his head, still sobbing. "...Dammit, Tamiko..." He clenched her hand tightly as he hung his head. "I... I couldn't even tell her what I came here to tell her..."

Monokuma popped in, "Oh, boy! Just tell me and I'll give her the memo!"

Ryuu let go of Tamiko's hand, gently placing it over her chest and turning to Monokuma. "Monokuma... What did you put in her food..?" His tears started to subside, a hint of anger stirring in his voice as he spoke to the bear.

"It was a normal Thanksgiving dinner... What, you don't like America? What, this is Japan, you say? 'Every country belongs to America!'" The last bit was said in the accent of a man nicknamed Bandit.

Ryuu was visibly ticked off by that, but pressed the question. "No poison? No toxins? No mysterious tiny eggs?" He glared at Monokuma.

I sighed, "Just leave it be. We'll come back tomorrow, okay?" Monokuma took his leave before Ryuu could retort once more.

"...Tch." He squeezed his hand in a fist, and let go with a sigh. "I guess I'll have to come back later, then..." He looked over at Tamiko. "I have one more day to say goodbye... I just hope... She takes it well..." He shook his head and turned back to me. "I don't suppose you would have any advice..? I'll probably ask around before we have to go to our rooms, if I can..."

"I'll think on it." I still struggled with it, how I would have bid goodbye to Shiori. If I could have handled it... Maybe it was better for me that someone-

Cutting that line of thinking, I faced away from Ryuu, "Anyways, I'm out. This was... depressing for me. Soul-crushing for you... I'll see you later... I need... time."

"I get you... Take care, alright..?" He turned back to Tamiko, intent on staying a little longer before heading back.

 _ **-Event End-**_

 **-Kotoko's POV-**

It was 6:40. Everyone was gathered in the makeshift dining hall we had been using except for Kicho, Kojiro, and Naoya.

Kojiro entered the room without a single word.

"Why're ya late!?" Maria demanded to know.

"I was checking the sensors. For tonight... Floors one to five are under Sho's jurisdiction," Kojiro began doling out the assignment.

"Understood," Sho was taking this more seriously than ever before. He didn't want a repeat of last time.

Kojiro glanced at two people sitting in the back, "Honoka gets six to ten, Ryuu eleven to fifteen."

Honoka asked, "Ryuu, you sure you can-"

"I'll be fine..." He responded quickly, "I think it'll do me good to be out and about."

"And Taka will be floors sixteen to twenty. Any questions?" Kojiro finished reading off the list like the peanut gallery didn't exist.

Akira asked, growing annoyed, "Yeah... Where the hell are the other two? Even if they're not gettin' assigned, it's weird."

Maria nodded, "I suppose you're right. I'll go round the two of them up."

After she left, Hiro wondered aloud, "Surprised we're lasting this long... For once, we might not have a murder."

"Stop making it sound like it's the final chapter or something..." Aya pouted, concerned by the flags he was raising.

Ryuu begrudgingly agreed, "It's surprising. Innocents at risk of dying for sinners like us. What say you, Kojiro? Any thoughts?"

"Oh, you mean... Lorraine, right?" Honoka asked, sweating a bit. Worried for his health, maybe?

"What is his take on all this, eh, Kojiro?" Ryuu asked again.

Kojiro glanced at the duo without uttering a single word.

Silence. No one spoke up for the time it took for Maria to enter the room, grabbing Naoya by the ear.

"Ow ow ow! I was just on my way, come on!" Maria threw Naoya into a chair. He squeaked in pain.

Standing triumphantly, she announced her feat, "I have acquired the latecomer!"

"What about Kicho?" Akira asked it as if it was the most obvious question in the world.

Maria seemed shaken, "Wa-wa-wa-wa!?" She headed for the door, "I'll get right on it!"

"Don't bother," Narutoya announced, adjusting his shades, "We're doing fine without her purposefully inflammatory remarks. Now catch Naoya up to speed and let's go."

Kojiro did just that. Naoya nodded, and we all headed our separate ways. I was nervous, so I followed Naoya to his room. Just outside of it, he asked, "What are you up to now?"

"I wanted to find out why you were late, silly." I was also curious, "Do you like peeled or unpeeled chestnuts!?" I asked, breath coming out as I excitedly questioned him for... compatibility sake.

"Peeled. I just... wasn't feeling well. Shiori and all..."

I nodded, "Ohhh... Did you love her?"

Naoya's eyes darkened, "Did I... love her?" Was he unsure himself? "Of course I..." He clenched his teeth, his face pale, "Like my parents, I have to move on. If I spend the rest of my life mourning... I won't be able to pay the mastermind in kind."

"Naoya..."

He stepped away from me, "I just need time to be alone now. Just go back to your room and... we'll talk tomorrow. I promise."

I nodded, still deeply worried for him, "Okay... See you tomorrow, Naoya."

"Yeah..." He walked into his room and closed the door. I went to bed soon after.

Lying down on my room in my pajamas, I thought about a lot of things. Some were silly, like whether people roasted and then peeled their chestnuts or not. Others wondered what Kicho was up to.

Mostly, I was thinking of my place here. If Naoya did love Shiori, does that mean my feelings would be too late? Eventually, I fell asleep, not knowing the torment the others might endure.


	36. When In Coma, Day Thirteen

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Daily Life**

 **Day Thirteen**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I didn't know where I was. I just knew it was cold. I had something tightly bound to my body, like clothes that fit too tightly. More importantly, I felt the cold steel of something in my hand. I glanced down at the magnum clutched in between my shaking fingers. I didn't know what concerned me more; the fact I was aiming the gun at a friend or the fact that this was a dream. I closed my eyes and lowered the gun in defeat.

Then suddenly I was rushing, falling to my doom. I fell, clutching at air in desperation as someone I couldn't see clearly through my own tears looked down upon me.

Before I knew it, I was somewhere else. A room I didn't recognize. Small holes lined the room, and I wandered around in it. I was small, excessively short. Why?

A small noise echoed and spears launched from every corner of the small claustrophobic room. The pain of a thousand spears shredding through my tiny body hit me all at once. I didn't have time to scream.

And then... the dream ended. My body stopped tensing. I was relieved of suffering. Or so I foolishly thought.

Ever since Shiori had passed, I'd been having nightmares of my own death. Painful, visceral deaths only possible by Monokuma and his vast resources. Had I noticed these were a little different, I might have tried to awaken, to react.

Instead, I remained asleep and complacent all the way until a loud yell awoke me.

"This is not a drill! Get the fuck up and out!" Sho was slamming on our doors like a crazed buttstabber. Annoyed, I opened the door.

Sho ran up and grabbed my shoulders, "We need to go! Now!'

"Why!?" I exclaimed in confusion.

"Because... they're dead, man! They're fucking dead!" Sho yelled at me in anger and Hiro walked up behind him.

He was still wiping his eyes, "What is it... now?"

Sho growled, "Just come on, dumbass! I need your muscle!"

"Where are we going!?" I asked, worried for a friend.

"The staircase on the left side... the broken one!" Even with us right next to him, he was still shouting.

Exiting his room and glancing at the sensor triggers, Kojiro approached us, annoyed, "Why are you two out during these hours? And why are *you* shouting like a raving lunatic?"

Sho explained, "I heard a loud bang at the bottom floor and I went to investigate and I found... a body."

"What!?" Kojiro wasn't liking where this was going at all.

Sho grabbed my hand, "Hiro, now!" He pulled me off down into the stairwell. I broke free and followed after him with at least some dignity.

The three of us hurried along and sped down the stairs as quickly as we could without a body discovery announcement and reached the bottom floor.

Passing through the back of the floor to the other staircase, I stepped into the doorway and witnessed something terrible.

 **Taka Suzuha, the Ultimate Academic Prodigy, a rope wrapped around his bent neck tightly, hands at his sides, his right leg bent backwards under his thigh, his clothes cut and bloodied by his fall. The back of his head oozed blood onto the floor, creating the most traumatizing sight I had since my mother came back.**


	37. When In Coma, Deadly Life

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Deadly Life**

 **Day Thirteen**

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I wanted to be sick, to look away, but I couldn't. Taka was always berating himself, wanting to pay for his crimes. But could he have ever wanted to go out like this!?

Our bracelets beeped and the objectives turned off on our ankle bracelets separately.

Kojiro finally caught up to us, "Now what is... is..." He stopped speaking, staring on in shock and anguish, "Taka... Taka, no..."

Monokuma made his entrance with aplomb, "Well, well, well! It's about time someone died! This was going on for literally forever! Even I get bored, you know!?"

"Fuck you..." Hiro growled, raising his fist and walking towards him, "It won't be boring when I kill you."

"You and your damaged legs are going to do that, huh?" Monokuma jeered, "I know you're too stupid to help out in the cases, but remember what happens to dum-dums in this series. They just get used for evil plans or commit atrocities in a rage... I guess Kicho intended for you to do both, so that just leaves... dying for the group."

Hiro lunged for Monokuma, but Kojiro gripped him and threw him back, "Stop it! I'm not watching someone else die today, understand!?"

Monokuma shrugged, "Not like he'll be of any help to you. Unless you intend to murder..." Moving his hands, he held out something we all expected, "Anyways, here's a special item! It's the Monokuma File! Feel free to investigate to your heart's content!"

I struggled to look at the File, the picture of Taka before he had been so brutally killed.

Victim: Taka Suzuha. Time of death was at 1:30am. The body was found at the first floor under the broken stairs on the left staircase. There is severe damage to the back of the head and signs of a broken neck. There are also multiple broken ribs, a femur broken in half, and numerous other cuts and bruises along the body. The spine also seems to have taken massive damage, nearly splintering it in half down the base of his back.

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Monokuma File 2# has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

A clamoring at the stairs alerted us to the others. Aya, Ryoji, Narutoya, Akira, Maria, and Kotoko all rushed in.

"Oh god!" Ryoji stepped back, face pale as he looked on in horror.

Aya screamed, "Taka!? What happened!?"

"What d'ya think?" Akira sighed, lighting a cigarette, "Someone wants to save their victim at the cost of our lives."

Maria yelled in frustration and anger, "Alright, which one of you fuckwits did it!?"

"Calm down. We'll discover that with our investigation," Kojiro warned, "First, I need someone to get Ryuu and Honoka. If they're on the later floors, they might have something to do with the murder. They might know something we don't, or..."

Maria reached for Kojiro, "You bastard! You said the sensors would-"

Kojiro avoided her grasp, "I said they were cautionary. If someone committed this murder, it has to be the four that were out. Taka, Honoka, Ryuu, or... Sho. So we have to investigate. Got it!?"

"I don't want to do this again... Why did another person have to die!?" Aya shouted out.

"I'll check the sensors and see if they can tell me anything," Kojiro headed for his room, "Hiro and Maria, watch the body . I trust you two."

Kotoko approached me, "Naoya..."

I patted her head. "I couldn't stop Hiro, but I would stop this Blackened. I promise you that."

"That wasn't your fault." She tried to reassure me.

"Perhaps... But it's investigation time," I had to solve this case.

 ***-Investigation Start-***

Starting with the obvious, I asked Sho, "Sho, you found the body first. What exactly happened on your end?"

Sho folded his arms under his chest, "It's gotta be bad luck I find it twice... And both times drawn by a loud noise... So I was on the fifth floor when I hear this dim crash. I didn't think too much of it, but I headed to the stairwell to check. And I saw blood and Taka on the bottom of the floor. So I rushed down the other stairwell and nearly tripped over myself running down the steps. I thought..." He stopped short, laying his hand flat on his chest.

"It's alright, Sho. Take your time..." He was expressing signs of defeat. His eyes were losing their color, and his lip was quivering as he tried to not cry.

"I thought... I could save him still. Maybe... The crash wasn't as loud as it could have been, so I was hoping he didn't fall all the way. But... I was too late again," He punched the wall, shouting as his knuckles bruised from the impact and blood leaked from a few cuts, "So I sprinted upstairs to find you guys and... I was panicking, scared... I didn't see anything but his body and the rope..."

Placing a hand over my mouth, I thought to myself. Sho didn't get on the scene as fast as possible, but he tried his best. Taka obviously fell from a great height, but how high?

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Sho's Account has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

Deciding I had to do something I didn't want to do, I went towards Taka's body. The File was correct. He had a devastating head wound, the spatter on the concrete proof of that. His legs were damaged, but there was much less blood than there should have been if they broke on impact. I decided to investigate that.

I got on my hands and knees and checked under his legs. He did have cuts on the back of his legs too, but there were no pieces of ripped clothing anywhere, despite sharp, deep cuts along the sides of his clothes. This didn't match up with what would happen during blunt force trauma...

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Damaged Clothes has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

Ryoji spoke up, "Naoya... I just noticed something."

"Really?" Aya asked, surprised.

"Naoya, Ryuu, Taka, and I were investigating parts of the hospital. And we only ever found one place that had rope." Ryoji announced, "The same rope that... is around his neck. I'm sure of it."

I concurred, "The fourth floor had a closet with supplies in it, including a rope that reached from the roof to about the sixth or seventh floor. You could easily use a piece of it to hang someone."

Ryoji added, "It's also quite sturdy. Would have easily handled our weight if we'd all climbed down."

Now that I didn't know, "You a rope expert?"

"Hey, I'm not weird." Ryoji defended himself, "I just use them in archaeology digs, that's all."

That might factor into this. I had to remember that.

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Sturdy Rope has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

Kojiro returned around this time, "I'm back... I checked... Here you go," He handed us the list of sensor alarms.

 _10:00 PM. All sensors set on._

 _1:45 AM. Hiro's sensor set off. First breach._

 _1:46 AM. Naoya's sensor set off. Second breach._

Kojiro added, "I turned the rest off when I left my room. And this is accurate, printed straight out from the machine. And to prove that..." He gave the machine to Akira, "Check the data and the settings yourself. I have nothing to hide."

"According to this," I stated the obvious, "No one snuck out. Meaning only the four people observing the building were out at the time of the murder."

That mattered a lot. It meant we had four culprits to sift through.

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Sensor Data has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

I formulated a plan. "Kotoko, can you check the sixth to tenth floors. All of the rooms for me, can you investigate them?"

"Why?" She didn't get it.

"Look for anything suspicious. Okay? And especially the shower room, too." I patted her head once more, "Ryoji, with me. We're checking the closet on the fourth floor."

Kojiro overheard us, "Then I'll determine the cause of death. The file lacked that information this time, suggesting it's quite important."

We made our way upstairs to the closet and Ryoji opened the door and stepped inside.

"Yeah, the rope is gone... In fact, the whole closet is empty," Ryoji sighed, "Did he hang himself?"

I shook my head, "Don't worry about that yet. We have a lot to investigate. We need to go get Honoka and Ryuu now."

Ryoji nodded, "Yeah, I guess..." He was crestfallen at these events.

"I'm sorry that this happened," I apologized to him in the place of Taka, "That you never saw eye to eye with him. I know that tore you up..."

"I just... He's dead, and it's all my fault..." Ryoji started crying, "If I had just stood up to the school, neither of us might be here!"

I reminded him of something, "Then you'd never have met Aya... You need to live, to get out of here with all of us, okay?" I reached out my hand, "We're friends, and I'll never leave you behind. Okay?"

Ryoji reached his hand out hesitantly, "Are you sure you want a coward who runs like me to worry about, let alone call a friend?"

"At one time, I ran too. Remember?" From Kotoko's predicament, from stopping my father, from reality, "I can sympathize. And now that Taka's dead, we have to seek justice for him. I know you can help me. So please..."

Through tears, Ryoji gripped my hand, "S-sure... I'll do my best."

Together we arrived at the tenth floor only to hear a shout. Ryoji and I ran to the next stairwell only to find it blocked off. Metal plates had been zigzagged across the stairwell upwards of ten feet, and defibrillators were hooked up to either end and sending electricity through it. Honoka was gripping her burnt hand, shouting and jumping around in pain.

"Are you alright?" I panicked, "Ryoji, get a first aid kit, stat!"

He ran off to grab one and I approached her, "Didn't you hear the announcement?" I held her hand and observed the burn, "Why are you still up here?"

"Ryuu's trapped upstairs on the other side!" Honoka explained, "I've been trying to figure out how to get past that damn wall..."

I realized the panes were familiar. They were from the closet. Someone who knew about them hooked them up to defibrillators to run currents through them. We had joked of using them for Christmas lights, but this was... A trap? By the culprit, maybe?

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Metal Panes were added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

Ryoji had retrieved the first aid kit and started putting ointment on Honoka's burnt fingers, "Why did you just touch it?"

"I didn't see a way to turn the damned thing off, okay!?" Honoka was blushing, upset that she was being treated delicately.

Observing the wall, I noticed a small part on the bottom of the makeshift electric fence that was coated in rubber I gripped it and flung upwards. On some kind of track, it flew upwards, and two small extensions on either side caught on a bar above the fence, holding it in place above the stairwell. Someone on this side had to pull down on it and lock Ryuu in, but it could easily be pulled back up in an emergency. Since the plating holding it up was connected to the wall under the stairwell, I might never have even noticed it. The other side, as I observed it, had been painted to match the wall. A brilliant design, but why?

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Electric Fence Trap has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

Ryuu greeted me from the other side, looking shaken, "That announcement... I wanted to get downstairs, but I couldn't do anything from this side. There wasn't another way down, so..."

"That doesn't sound good for you, since Taka's dead," I announced to him, "If no one could get up there, the only culprits would be..." Ryuu and Taka.

"I didn't do anything, alright?" Ryuu sighed, "I'll explain during the trial. It'll make more sense that way."

"Hey, Naoya!" Kotoko ran up behind us, "I found something!"

"What?" I knew she could do it, "What exactly did you find?"

The five of us headed downstairs to the sixth floor. Leading us to the left staircase, she confirmed my suspicions.

A rope was hanging in the air. Across from it, there was loose railing on the wall, remnants of the broken stairs. Blood lined the wall as if something, or someone hit it. The blood was about two feet down from where the rope ended, starting to dry against the hard metal wall. There were also pieces of what looked like cloth trapped in the metal bits coming from where the stairs were.

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Bloodied Wall has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

 ***Updated Truth Bullet! Sturdy Rope has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

"Looks like someone hit the wall..." I wondered to myself. That's it...

"Taka?" Ryuu guessed.

I nodded, "Likely. Hey, Ryoji... Can you grab the end of the rope? I'll lean out and hold you."

"Hell no!" Ryoji exclaimed in fear.

"Then I'll do it," Kotoko offered. Holding her hand (and lightly blushing on my part), she reached out and just barely nicked the rope with her outstretched hand. I pulled her over and we examined it.

Ryuu observed it carefully, "It's been cut, likely with a sharp blade. Not in one cut, though. It's quite jagged. Took a bit to work through it.

"Maybe a scalpel. The hospital has lots of those, and though it would take a while, it's easily hidden. Especially when you don't have to hide it well." Kotoko offered an idea.

"That could be it... But to dispose of it..." I asked her, "Kotoko, check the big shower room on the seventh floor and recheck the doors on the eleventh to fifteenth floors."

"Yes, sir!" Kotoko saluted me and hurried off. If she could find what I expected her to, we might be able to prove someone's innocence.

As she ran off, Ryuu asked, "Since when did she become your assistant?"

Shiori's face flashed in my mind, "When I realized I could lose her so easily." Saying that, we journeyed to the stairs and headed up to the top floor. Right before roof access, we hurried over to the other staircase. The top floor.

The rope was hung from concrete beams on the ceiling that showed no signs of damage. So, he fell from here. Just like in my dream.

In my dream, he fell from here and died. More importantly, someone witnessed his death. The thing that confused me was the gun. How did he get ahold of one? Was there a gun in this hospital?

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Cause of Death was added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Naoya's Dream has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Mysterious Gun has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

"Ryuu, where there any weapons in this place?" I figured he might know.

Ryuu shook his head to my disappointment, "You'd have to ask Maria. She took checks on all the weapons in this place."

I sighed and nodded. The four of us began heading downstairs until a crying, screaming Kotoko caught our attention, "Kotoko!?"

"I found... someone!" She exclaimed in between breaths.

"What?" Ryuu asked, concerned.

She gasped, "Kicho... is... in... the... bathing...room... She's... dead...!"

Hearing that, the four of us sprinted downstairs and sped through the seventh floor hallway. I lead the group, not wanting to believe it. I threw open the door, and Ryoji followed after, letting it shut, hitting Ryuu in the face.

"Agh, not again! Son of a whore!" He shouted, falling back.

Honoka said just to herself, "Akira has a son, right?"

I turned the corner and saw the truth behind Kotoko's words.

 ***Kicho Taika was lying face first on the linoleum floor, blood pooling underneath her. Running to her side and flipping her over, I saw a large jagged gash in her neck that tore through the skin and tissue. I stepped back, wanting to puke.***

 ***ding dong, ding dong***

Monokuma jumped up from behind us, "Oh, no! A second body!? Who could have done this!?"

I glared at him, "What are you pulling?"

"Nothing, nothing. Anyways, here!" Ding went all of our handbooks, "I've updated the Monokuma File! I'm certain you're all dying to solve her murder. Riiiiight?"

Monokuma fled the scene before any of us could question him further.

"What the..." Ryuu's face had turned pale once more, "Kicho was dead, too!?"

Ryoji stepped away, puking in one of the toilets. I just looked at the Monokuma File in disgust.

 ***Victim: Kicho Taika. Time of Death: 6:51pm. Cause of death was blood loss from a zigzagged cut through her upper chest and neck. There are no other external injuries.***

 ***Updated Truth Bullet! Monokuma File 2# was updated in the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

Kotoko gulped, "Those edges... That's a bonesaw, no doubt..." She stepped away, "Another easy to get item here, but still..."

Kojiro entered in through the doorway, "What the fuck did I just hear!?"

And when he saw Kicho's body, he sighed, "Oh... Okay, could have been worse."

"Don't speak ill of the dead!" Ryoji exclaimed, "Even if I kinda agree..."

The others came in and reacted in their own ways. Akira drunk from her flask, Maria cursed up a storm and demanded to know what smart fuck decided to jump her during an investigation.

Amidst the chaos, I asked Kojiro something, "Did you determine the cause of death?"

Kojiro begrudgingly answered, "His cause of death seems to be the cranial hemorrhaging. His head wound." He frowned, "I've not as much experience with dead bodies as someone else in our midst... Or perhaps two..." He glanced at Kotoko, "But I promise that is the truth."

 ***Updated Truth Bullet! Cause of Death has been updated in your Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

One last thing to do, then. Two last testimonies, "Kotoko, finish checking the doors on the 11th through 15th floors for me."

She nodded, "O-okay..."

I then approached Honoka, "May i speak with you... privately?"

Honoka smirked mischievously, "Oh... Gonna confess your love? Sure, let's go to the locker room. I'll even lock the door for us."

Reluctantly, we entered the locker room and closed the doors. She locked the door behind her, giggling evilly.

"I need your testimony. What you did during the murder, why you didn't come across Kicho earlier, et cetera," I asked honestly.

"Oh... I was hoping this was a booty call," she frowned in defeat, "I even had edible underwear, too."

I felt my eyes widen, "Uh... You did?"

Honoka shrugged, "Just a joke. So, my alibi, that it? I was observing the upper floors, but I wasn't checking the rooms one by one. Too much of a hassle. I just listened for noises. I heard one below me, but before I could check, Ryuu was calling for me. And since I love it when boys scream my name, I had to go see him first."

"Lewd..." I was blushing a little. Honoka was a brash, crude girl, but damn was it cute when she perved over us. "You didn't get orders to check the rooms, then? None?"

"Y-yeah..." Honoka answered weakly, "Kojiro may have mentioned checking the stairwells frequently, but he never mentioned the staircase. That I can say."

Whatever it was, I didn't feel like she'd lie to me maliciously. I decided to believe in her.

Honoka reached for me, "Since we have some time before the trial... Want to help... inspire me?"

"Hard pass. I don't have time for that. And if patterns followed through, I wouldn't want to lose you, too..." Honoka grasped that I meant Shiori and stepped back, ashamed, "And I could never do that to Ryuu..."

"I could do things to Ryuu," she smirked. That smirk gave way to a more depressed expression, "He loves Tamiko. I'm not good enough for him, anyways. I'd just hold him and his dreams back. And if I..."

I asked, "If you got caught?"

Honoka seemed taken aback, "You know, too?" Wait, too? "I can't be with him... He'd never love a serial killer like me... But you might give me a chance, right? A chance at love?" She moved towards me again.

"Honoka..." I didn't know what to say. Ryuu was caught between Honoka and Tamiko, and she knew that. Moreso, she thought of herself as the lesser option. Tamiko had been with him for years, and she already had cripplingly low self-esteem. Of course it tore her up, "You know Ryuu cares about you."

"But would he choose me?" Honoka was crying now, "Would he choose a serial killer!?"

What was I supposed to say? "He might. I know I could."

Honoka shook her head, "Yeah, right... Why would he settle?"

"The bastard turned his eyes away and pretended he wasn't working with a serial killer before. Maybe he would do it for the girl he liked," I didn't want to say it so rudely, but it was true.

"Exactly why he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He wouldn't... So..." She hesitated, "...Fine. I'll just give up on this. You won't say yes; he won't accept the real me. I'm going to my room."

"Wait, Honoka!" She sprinted out of the room and charged for the stairs. I ran after, only for Ryuu and every other girl in the room to glare at me with spite.

"Why uh... Why'd you make her cry, huh, Naoya?" Ryuu asked, suspicious and somewhat angry.

Shaking my head, I retorted, "Why did you make her cry? Why won't you just talk to her already? Whether you love Tamiko or not, Honoka needs you right now. Worry about that."

Ryuu didn't need more words, and he hastened after her.

"What was that about?" Akira asked, the smell of whiskey on her breath.

I released a heavy sigh, "Just high school drama, that's all." If high schools involved serial killers and love triangles, sure.

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Honoka's Account has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook!***

Kotoko returned, "I checked them all, Naoya. All the doors are still unopenable! Did I do good?"

One more head rub for her, "Yeah, you did."

 ***Obtained Truth Bullet! Unopenable Doors has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your handbook.***

 ***ding dong bing bong***

Monokuma appeared on all of our screens at once, "Hey, guys... Just unlocked the hospital doors. You know where to go. Right outside, my handy dandy airship will lift you up! Who's ready for trial number two!?"

Kojiro grunted, "Barely enough time to investigate Kicho's death... I just don't understand why two murders occurred."

"Maybe it's the same killer..." Aya said in a hushed tone.

All of us gathered outside of the hospital. Honoka and Ryuu followed after, Honoka still tearing up and Ryuu angrily glaring at Monokuma for not letting him do what he needed to.

One by one, we got onto the airship, and as it vibrated under our feet and the doors closed behind us, and the trial room was lighting up before us, I had one thought on my mind. I had to-

 ***-Kotoko's POV-***

-catch the Blackened!


	38. When In Coma, Trial

**Chapter Two-When In Coma-Towa Hospital**

 **Trial**

 **Day Thirteen**

 **-Kotoko's POV-**

Monokuma began, "Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for 'whodunnit.' If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person..." Monokuma stretched the last word out for emphasis, "I'll punish everyone *besides* the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this city!"

"Yeah, yeah, we fuckin' get it!" Hiro hurried him along, "We have serious shit to discuss. Two of us are dead!"

Kojiro grunted, "Two of us dead, and two Blackened... What do we do? Investigate Kicho's death or... Taka's?"

Ryuu turned to Monokuma, "What do you want us to do?"

"Whatever you want. I don't care how you spend the trial!" Monokuma chuckled, "If you get it right, good on you. If you don't, I'll have fun at least..."

"That's as helpful as I expected... We can solve Kicho's murder or Taka's. Both gets us a Blackened. Whichever is easier or whichever we care about more," Ryuu laid it out for us.

I bit my lip. We could find either, huh?

"Well, I don't care much for Kicho. Frankly, we can just ignore her," Akira spoke harshly, "We should solve Taka's."

Aya rejected her proposal, "I think we should solve both. I want to know who our options for Blackened are."

Narutoya wondered to himself, "Choosing who lives and dies, now? We're better than Monokuma, aren't we?"

"That's not what she meant!" Maria yelled out, "I get what she means, but finding two killers... That's a bit rough."

"We just have to find them both, then," Kojiro sighed.

Ryoji offered an alternative, "I know we could get both, but perhaps we should only solve one. It would save time... And many of us don't really like Kicho."

"We may have hated her, but we should still solve it," Hiro of all people spoke about this, "Even with good intentions, a Blackened is a Blackened. I want to know."

Maria shook her head, "I want to thank them, too, but it's a waste of-"

Narutoya interrupted us, "We need to solve her murder."

"What was that?" Honoka gave a surprised expression.

"We... No, I... I need to solve her murder. I have to know what happened," Narutoya stood his ground, a firm expression.

Akira gave a quirky grin, "Oh? But you hated her most of all, didn't you? Destroyed her reputation, had her cast out..."

Narutoya growled, "I intend to change. I intend to forgive, to accept what I did. I refuse to let her death go unsolved. She may have been a cold, callous bitch, but god damn it I loved her once!"

"Okay, calm down..." Ryoji tried to reason with the chosen by God beast.

"I will not be silenced," Narutoya brushed him off, "I refuse to allow this trial to continue until we solve her death.

I decided to step in. I hated doing this; despised it to my very core. But if we intended to unravel the truth of Kicho's death, I had to pursue the truth.

Pointing to the Monokuma File, I announced, "Well, we have very little evidence on her murder. Monokuma gave us the one clue we need to solve it, and..."

Kojiro asked, "It's the time of death. While the murder weapon was obviously a bladed weapon hidden away hours before we found her corpse, the time of death was 6:51PM yesterday. During our meeting. Only two people weren't present. Kicho and Naoya."

Naoya said nothing when his name was dropped.

I knew I had to choose, "Naoya, are you the culprit?"

Naoya opened his eyes and glanced to me, a look of determination in his eyes, "What, am I really the only option?"

Honoka shrugged nonchalantly, "Kinda, yeah."

"We should be more concerned blaming our friends for murder," Ryuu adjusted his glasses, not wanting to show his expression, "Naoya, how do you plead?"

"Part of me wants to shout, to yell and say, 'Of course I would never kill someone!'" Naoya's face broke into a painful frown. It hurt me to look at him, "But that would just make me look worse off, huh?" He sighed, pressing his hand to his face, "Then I must do what I think is correct. And let *him* speak. Presumably, if anyone would know the events of what I was doing during Kicho's murder, he would."

"I hate that guy..." Ryoji grumbled under his breath.

Naoya's posture changed as his eyes shifted into that silver hue, releasing his other self, "What!? You don't like Tenebris? But I'm your best friend, too!"

Ryoji, pale as a ghost, shook his head, "I'd never be friends with a sick person like you!"

"Says the guy who befriended a man who covered Hayato Pepper's crimes..." Tenebris grinned.

Ryuu glared at him, "I know what I did. But I didn't kill anyone..."

Tenebris rolled his eyes, "If it's not directly, it doesn't count? Don't give me that bullshit. So, why am I here? Why am I suspected? Even Naoya thinks I did it, huh?" He closed his eyes, smirking all the while.

"We think you killed Kicho..." I said it, each word tearing me apart. Would Naoya die over this?

"Oh, that... I didn't kill the bitch," He casually deflected blame so fast, the others couldn't hide their surprise.

Akira scoffed, "Don't bluff with us, bastard. It only could have been you!"

Tenebris just laughed it off, "Nah, I don't see it that way. That's just a theory you guys have. Not a bad one, but a theory nonetheless. And since it's not one about robot bears..."

Monokuma reared his head.

"It'll hardly get any views. So let's think of alternatives, shall we?" He grinned.

"No way," Maria argued, "I doubt he'd kill. I mean, he's... weird, of course, but... He has to be smart enough to not get himself executed, right?"

He is, I thought to myself. I want to tell them, but if I do that now I won't know if he did do it or not.

Kojiro ignored Maria, "Unfortunately, there are none. It has to be you, Naoya. Not that I'd enjoy seeing you die... I already lost... one apprentice."

Tenebris nodded, "Yeah, the one who fucked me figuratively and literally. Thank God I don't have to cry over that."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

"Since I never made this clear before, I guess I can now. I have Naoya's memories, but his feelings are his alone," Tenebris explained, "Alternate personalities sometimes share feelings, admittedly, but not in this case. Do well to remember that."

Tenebris put a finger up to draw attention, "That does bring up a good question Maria said earlier. Why would I kill Kicho? What could my motive even be? I didn't even hurt someone until Hiro played Vigilantics."

That is a good question. Why would he do that?

"Actually..." I had to bring this up eventually, "You guys remember the new rules in the handbooks, right? About Blackened votes and all that?"

Aya answered, "Our handbooks randomly updated a couple days ago. Why?"

I explained concisely, "Well, Naoya... Regular Naoya was clarifying a bunch of rules after Shiori died and his alternate self had attacked the robots."

"He really went ham..." Sho chuckled, "I was bettin' he could win."

"I didn't understand at the time why he asked all that... But if he killed Kicho..." I was piecing together a narrative for myself, "It may have had something to do with Shiori's death."

Monokuma intervened, "Is it time? I think it is! Footage time!"

The same screen that showed us the two previous executions came down and we saw Shiori's room.

And we saw Kicho sneak into the room and insert some chemicals into the IV machine that pumped nutrients into Shiori's veins.

"What!?" Hiro exclaimed, "That bitch... Did she...!?"

Tenebris sighed, sickened at watching it a second time, "However I felt about Shiori, that video disturbed me. I make it a point to disassociate with monsters like that. Naoya didn't have my memories of the event, and Monokuma only showed me right before I lost it. So Naoya wouldn't know."

Narutoya glared at Monokuma, "Why would you do something so cruel and unproductive?"

Monokuma smirked, "She's dead, ain't she? Seems productive to meeeee!"

"But he must have sensed it. Or maybe he just blindly trusted the rest of you. So he confronted her and he asked. She confessed, he left, and now she's dead. So it looks bad for me? Why?" Tenebris seemed genuinely confused.

"Naoya wouldn't kill someone," Honoka said it to herself at first, "Naoya would never kill someone so viciously! He's not a person who would do such a thing!"

Tenebris wondered to himself, and then asked, "If a random passerby saw Kotoko, they'd think she's not a killer, just a beautiful young girl with a bright future. If people saw Kojiro, they would assume a professional police officer, so respected and experienced, would be a valuable asset to the community. Except perhaps American universities..."

Kojiro decided to end the charade, "Tenebris is the killer, plain and simple. No matter how easy it is, or how obvious, he's our only option."

"I wonder..." Ryuu asked Monokuma, "If we vote for Tenebris, do we just vote for Naoya? Will only Tenebris get punished or both of them?"

Monokuma tilted his head, "I could just erase Tenebris from Naoya's personality, but that might damage him. And it's nowhere near as fun as just killing someone so... I'd just execute him, probably."

I pouted, "Then we can't kill Naoya."

"But Tenebris is a killer!" Aya pointed at him, "No matter how much we like Naoya, we can't tolerate killers in our midst!"

Tenebris rebuked her, "Prove I killed someone. I never killed someone before this game. I acted against Hiro in self-defense. And I wouldn't have had to if you didn't ruin his life."

Aya growled back, "Like I meant to! I never even knew about his situation!"

"And you don't know mine either. So shut your whore mouth." Tenebris pulled no punches.

Ryoji stepped up, "Don't talk to her like that!"

Tenebris laughed, "Or what? You'll run away again? Hey, you think if I framed Kicho's murder on you, would you run again? Or would you stand tall like an actual adult?"

"That's not fair! I was only a kid!" Ryoji shut back.

"So was I!" Tenebris bitterly shouted, "I was only a child when my mother died! When Kotoko was assaulted! When my best friend pulled a fucking knife on me because I predicted his father's death at the power plant in Fukushima!" Tenebris glanced at all of us, tears in his eyes, his hand clenched tightly, "I was there when Naoya cried to himself at nights! I was there when he wanted a friend to confide in! I was there, until he locked me away for being too violent, for telling him to fight back... And now I'm back and surrounded by a bunch of fucking losers so fucking terrified of reality they want to blame ME for all of their problems!"

"Some of us are trying to change..." Narutoya spoke up, "But it's hard."

Hiro solemnly stated, "I get what he means... I just fucked everything up... Aya still calls me a friend after what I did? How is that fair? Maybe he is right... Aya, why am I forgiven but he isn't?"

"That's..." Aya stuttered, "W-well... We have history, and..."

Tenebris grinned again, under his tears, "Naoya liked you back, Aya."

"Huh...?" Ryoji was caught off guard.

Aya gasped, "You... You what!?"

"True story. Aya and I, we almost had a thing. But Naoya turned her down. Pushed her to get with Ryoji instead. Naoya is such a good friend, and Ryoji pays him back with this. Letting him get cornered like a dog," He glared at Aya next, "And Aya, the girl who could have loved him, wants to burn him at the stake over me. Not even touching how she glosses over what Ryoji did to Taka, why he was even here to die in the first place," Tenebris sighed, "This is the kind of shit that pisses me off about you guys. You know that, right? He sacrifices so much, and you just don't even care..."

Ryoji turned to Aya in shock, "You... you what? You liked him... too!?"

Aya tried to calm him down, "Okay, he's... He's not lying, but that's in the past. I chose you, didn't I? We're together now... And I meant it when I said those things... I really do love you, Ryoji."

"But why did you hide that from me?" Ryoji's voice cracked.

Kojiro decided to shut this open case, "Tenebris killed Kicho Taika. We can all agree to that. But can we get him executed over this?"

That's when Tenebris asked, "Ryuu. Been pretty quiet. What say you? Will you throw away your friendship with Naoya?"

"... What about Taka's murder? We only ever have one execution without a tie. We're debating two murders at once. I don't want to kill a friend. Even if I was willing to throw Naoya to the dogs, er... Bears so freely, we'd still all die if we don't find the other blackened. And we can't exactly prove you killed Taka." He shook his head. "Tell me, Tenebris, would Naoya want every single one of his friends here to die for him for your mistake? And even if he did, I don't think he wants to lose it all right away just because we didn't find the other blackened."

"Well, if we're going to discuss Taka's murder, then I have to clarify some things on Kicho's first. Like... why Honoka didn't find her body," Tenebris raised a fair point with that evil grin of his.

"What do you mean?" Ryuu asked, nervous that she was brought up in such a negative light.

Kojiro's eyes widened, "That's true. I did explicitly tell her, and the others, to investigate any open rooms. I even told her to check that room in particular. It's a good way of dumping small items down the drain, washing up blood, lockers to hide evidence..."

Honoka piped up, blushing wildly, "I was distracted. You know how I get sometimes... Imagining people in certain ways... I was actually thinking of implementing Kotoko's experiences in Towa City as a game... With her permission, of course."

I smiled, "Sure. I have no secrets to hide left..." And that smile gave way to a frown, "Can we not kill people in the game, though? I had enough... I just want... to try and fix what I ruined."

"First, I'll confess some things. I did meet up with Kicho to talk to her. And I did happen to bring with me a weapon. A bonesaw. We had a discussion on the evil she did, and what her goals were. She said she wanted to survive this game with me and Honoka. She liked us as pets, and so she rigged everything for that. She had plans for everything," Tenebris acted casually as he poured his soul, "Using Hiro to kill Kotoko to devastate Naoya into depression so she could swoop in. Luring Ryoji and Taka into a fight. Having Kojiro as Lorraine finish what he started by killing Ryuu. Real concrete stuff. I was shocked, appalled, and impressed."

"What about-" Narutoya began.

Tenebris answered abruptly, "You, she'd have tortured. By Akira and Maria no less. They'd get a tie and die because we can't choose between them."

"What a cunt..." Sho said it more to himself than to us, but I doubt one of us could disagree if it was true.

"That being said..." Tenebris coughed, "She was evil, alright. And I knew I had to stop her."

"So you killed her," Akira answered her own question, "That's the motive, right? She killed Shiori and was going to use the rest of us. So you took over and killed her."

Tenebris smirked with a small head tilt,, "I didn't kill anyone. But Honoka had explicit orders to investigate everywhere. Three and a half hours after nighttime started, Taka died. And I have to believe Honoka never found her body before then? No, she must have. So why didn't she say anything?"

Honoka glared at Tenebris, "Tenebris... Why are you doing this? Did you really want to fuck me this badly?"

"I'll cut to the chase. Honoka's Lorraine." Tenebris revealed something so... unbelievable so casually.

"What!?" Ryuu yelled out in confusion, "What the fuck!?"

Kojiro glared at Tenebris, "You... can't be serious!"

Honoka growled at him, "Why don't you buy me dinner before you fuck me!?"

"No way! Honoka can't be Lorraine! Kojiro ruined Michi's life, not her!" Aya defended her lewd friend as best she could.

That's when it clicked, "Kojiro ruined her life by protecting Lorraine, not being him. It's possible they're not the same. And if he covered for her, it explains why Lorraine's modus operandi was usually sex criminals. And why Kojiro settled into the role after initial disbelief."

"But that doesn't-" Ryuu sputtered until Tenebris tossed a folder to him.

"Case files on her earliest victims. Your partner, a physician at Shiori's school, the list goes on. Kojiro protected Akira from the law when she killed Genji, and just kept it up," He turned to Ryuu, "So if you still care about Honoka, she's a killer, you know? Maybe don't hold it against the rest of us as much?"

Ryuu faced Honoka, his feet unsteady, "Honoka... Is this true?"

"If I said yes, would you..." She hesitated, "Yeah, I am. I killed quite a number of people for what they did, to young girls and guys alike. And I have no regrets. I even tortured some. What about it?"

He took a breath, still collecting himself. "I... I guess I should thank you. For being a better person than I was. For not hating me outright for what a garbage person I was."

Honoka frowned, "I couldn't hate you, Ryuu... But I..."

Tenebris grinned, "And if I were to blackmail her, maybe she'd pretend not to see the body. Or maybe... she hid it to protect me... Her lover."

"And I would believe that after Naoya made her cry moments before the trial, and you dropped her secret on everyone because...?" Ryuu growled.

"Oh... That. Simply put, Naoya and Honoka got together before Kicho's murder..." Tenebris smirked.

 ***-Flashback Begin-***

Day Twelve, 5:40PM

 **-Naoya's POV-**

I was alone in my room thinking about if I could confront Kicho or not. Should I tell the others? What could I do?

A knock rasped at my door. I opened it to see Honoka.

"Naoya, can we talk?" She asked, blushing and rubbing her feet together.

I nodded, "Anytime, Honoka. Is it about Ryuu... and Tamiko?"

Honoka sat on the edge of the bed, "How'd you know?"

"It seems pretty obvious you're upset," I answered her, maintaining a warm smile, "I... still hope you guys can get together, like..."

"Like you got Aya and Ryoji together?" I bit my lip, "She liked you, too. She mentioned it to me a couple of times. So when they got together, I figured you guided them. Might I assume you're doing the same for Ryuu and I?"

Well, shit. She saw right through me.

Honoka continued, "And Shiori... I know you liked her, but did you love her? Intimately? Or did she manipulate you?"

"That's..." I struggled not to cry. Shiori, knowing she would die, convinced me to treat her like a lover. Of course I felt betrayed, angry, depressed, lost. I felt lonely, like no one could love me now.

"I feel the same as you," Honoka read my mind, "Like no one would love me. Because... you have your past, and me mine. Your talent makes you struggle to find love and friends, as does mine."

I never knew how much she thought about this. What Kicho said really tore her up.

I put a hand on her head, rubbing her red hair softly, "You're kind, more so than I ever could expect..."

Honoka stood up, blushing, "Only you, Shiori, Kotoko, and Ryuu have ever showed me such kindness... I... Naoya... I doubt Ryuu will love me for... circumstances. So I..."

Suddenly, I felt danger incoming. I'd have to shoot her down when she asked. No matter if I liked her or not, I had to do what was best for Ryuu. He was one of my only friends left, and I loved him like a brother...

"Naoya... Be with me. Be my boyfriend, my lover... Ryuu won't accept me, but you might... I want you to be with me instead," Honoka stated her demand clearly, "I know you like me... I've written about attraction enough times. So date me. That's easy, right?"

In that moment, I cursed my very existence. Smiling awkwardly, my heart a maelstrom of emotions, I nodded, "...Yes... I'll be with you... I like you, Honoka. Love is a strong word, but I might... I might..."

 ***-Flashback End-***

 ***-Kotoko's POV-***

Honoka sighed, "So when he mentioned Kicho, a body, Shiori... I went along with it. I've killed far more than he has..." She pointed at Tenebris, "So he suggested to ignore it. I'd have hidden her body by the end of my shift, and we'd move on."

Ryuu stuttered, "H-honoka... You really asked him that? But I thought-"

"You have Tamiko, don't you? I believed you loved her more, enough that she'd be your motive. How could I compete with a normal girl, one who was with you through thick and thin?" Honoka placed her hands on her stand, "That's the truth. I'm Lorraine... And I helped hide Tenebris' murder."

Tenebris smirked, "Now hold on. We talked on and on and on and on about I did this or that...The motive was what again?"

I answered, unsure why he would ask that, "To avenge Shiori, you killed Kicho."

"Allegedly. And what part of my testimony denies that? What did I say that clears my name?" Tenebris grinned.

Akira rolled her eyes, "Enough backstory and the damn talking! You killed her with your own two hands, right there!"

Tenebris shrugged, "You keep saying that, but I said something to the contrary. Right, Kotoko?"

He was making me say it, making me defend him. Fine, I'll play along, "You said your feelings aren't mutual."

"Exactly. He loved Shiori, not me. And part of me wonders if he fooled himself into thinking he did, since she used him... If he could justify it, he could live with being taken advantage of," Tenebris sighed, "But I hold no such foolish notions. I accept what she did. I liked her, and I can feel Naoya's love for her. But I didn't love her like he did, so I wouldn't be as motivated to kill Kicho as Naoya."

Honoka asked, "Then why did you ask me to hide the truth?"

"Because of basic self-preservation," Tenebris answered easily, "If he dies, so do I. And... there's one last thing that saves me from the axe. Tell them, Kotoko."

Ah, it must be that, "Naoya asked Monokuma about the rules for murder. On the last one, he asked, 'what if two bodies are discovered after each other'? Monokuma said the first discovered would count. That murderer would be the Blackened, and any bodies discovered afterwards, even if killed first, would not count. No trial would be held for them."

Tenebris turned to Monokuma, "And since they may presume Kotoko and I are teamworking this, I need you to prove that to them. Announce the rule or make the game unfair."

"Yeah, it's true. Naoya asked me that, not Tenebris here," Monokuma stated it plainly, "Tenebris would know since Naoya does, but those two and Kotoko all knew."

I admitted, "I was going to reveal that myself eventually, but I... I wanted to know if Naoya did it, too."

"If I did kill Kicho, why? I could have just waited until another murder occurred and gotten away with it. Maybe Naoya assumed he could hide it for that long, or that he'd just die for it. But me, I'm not that way," he sighed, "I have played the not die game for too long to throw in the towel for a bitch I could have killed during this investigation. So why would I, the intellectual evil guy you want to make me out to be, kill her myself?"

"Maybe this is an elaborate trap of yours..." Sho suggested.

Tenebris shrugged, "Think what you want. I promise you with my very life *I* didn't kill her... But Naoya? Who can say?"

Narutoya took his glasses off and laid them on the stand, "So that's the truth behind her case, then... Fine. We can move on now. If Monokuma said those are the rules, the real Blackened for this trial is the one who killed Taka. We can deal with Naoya afterwards."

Tenebris blew kisses at us, "About time I let him back here. He has decisive evidence, and I've gotten bored of all this talking. Sayonara!"

Naoya shuffled a bit as his eyes returned to normal, "Uh... What... No... Did Tenebris-"

"Frame you for Kicho's murder, yes," Kojiro said it plainly.

"Have we discussed Taka's case yet?" He asked, trying to gauge where we were at.

Akira drank once more from her flask, "Just about to. Join in."

Naoya seemed unsteady, "You'd trust me? I... or Tenebris... might have killed someone, you know."

Aya shook her head, "I believe in Naoya. His alter self was right... I have to believe my friends until the end or else I just sully their trust in me."

"Agreed," Ryoji chimed in, "I choose to trust in Naoya."

As the others all agreed, I thought to myself a dark unsettling notion; what if Tenebris was telling the truth? What if Naoya is the *real* killer?

 ***CLASS TRIAL INTERMISSION***

 ***CLASS TRIAL IN SESSION***

 ***-Naoya's POV-***

"Can we just get started on the important shit now!?" Maria yelled, greatly impatient to start the trial in its entirety.

Narutoya glared at her, "That mattered greatly. Understanding Tenebris and his ways is important, and we had to solve her death or risk being in a haze of paranoia. How could we trust anyone in that atmosphere?"

Ryoji muttered, "How can we trust Honoka now?"

"Heeeeeeey..." Ryuu warned with his tone.

"Not only is she a serial killer, she let Kojiro take the fall," Aya clicked her tongue, "I'm disappointed in you, Honoka. I thought we were friends."

"That's a good question," Sho wondered, "Why did Tenebris sell her out?"

Ryuu grunted, "To be a dick, what else?"

Gaining our attention with the flick of a lighter and a yell, we turned to Akira, "Enough! We don't have time to waste on killers. Tenebris mentioned that Naoya had evidence... So start talking!"

I started, "Well, last night I had a dream. Again. And though I've had nightmares the last few days, this one superseded those. Unfortunately, this was not seamless. It cut. I remember two points of interest. In the first moment, I was presumably Taka. I had a weapon in my hands, the cold steel of a firearm."

"Firearm? Where'd he get one?" Sho asked, confused.

Kojiro shook his head, "Impossible. We found no such thing on the crime scene."

"Don't know about that. What concerns me is I felt no strain on my neck. I was pointing it at someone, but before I could see who, the dream cut out," I was explaining slowly.

Maria butted in, "Fat chance! You're just lying, right? You know who you saw! Your last dream was extremely vivid!"

I pondered that notion, "Maybe it's Alter Naoya... Before Shiori died, he was latent. Maybe his reawakening limits my powers... I don't know."

"Bullshit! That's way too convenient!" Maria shouted at me, "You killed both of them, didn't ya!?"

"Hear him out," Ryuu defended me, "We can decide what we feel after his story is over."

Maria folded her arms under her chest, "Geez, fine..."

"For whatever reason, I didn't. It cut out to him... Taka falling. I caught a glimpse of someone watching me fall, but I do not remember being pushed or kicked... So I can't say if it was murder or suicide, but that does matter... Taka is a potential Blackened," I admitted to them that it indeed was weak information, but it could help.

"Guilty as fuck," Maria's words resounded through the room.

I decided to cut the wind from her sails, "Proving I'm the killer won't make you better than Akira, you know," I said the words, but I didn't want to.

Ryuu turned to Monokuma, "Are murders allowed in the trial? Because Jesus!"

"There's no god here," Monokuma reminded us, "Verbal murder is fine, though."

Kotoko's eyes widened, "Where did that come from?"

"Oh, it's me... It's ya boy, Tenebris..." I said, I think? "To make something clear, I can just... show up now. No long entrances, no transformations. Just a quick slip in and out. Like how I interrupted his dreams... Thought it'd be more fun to make this trial harder on you guys. So... have fun."

Hiro slammed his fist on the table, "Keep yourself under control, dammit!"

I smirked, "If you had listened to that advice, Kotoko would have enough depth perception to see that bullshit for what it is."

"Okay... Wow... Don't do me next, please..." Ryoji said softly, not wanting to earn a tongue-ass whooping himself.

"I wouldn't waste my breath," I shook my head desperately, "Stop using my body, you fuck!" I laughed, "Nah... This is more fun. When no one knows where Naoya ends or Tenebris begins... Now THAT'S an ideal fun situation! But I promised so... I'll stay out of this. Mostly."

Honoka sighed, "Is this how multiple personality disorder works now?"

I shrugged, "More accurate than Canadian cartoons," I sighed, "Now as for some real total drama... I have to say. I can't be Taka's killer. Kojiro knows this."

"I have the sensors giving me data on if they're breached and when they're set on," Kojiro explained the system succinctly, "I even gave them to Akira to confirm that. Of all people, she'd never lie for me."

Akira rolled her eyes, "Lying for others is your thing, mister policeman." She said the last part like a pouty child.

Kojiro ignored her jeers quite easily, as if used to them already, "All of the sensors were set at 10 PM yesterday. I can't turn them on and hide that data, so while I could have snuck out, I could not have reset the sensor. More importantly," he pointed to the breaches, "No one left early until Hiro and Naoya left to greet a distraught Sho."

He showed us the data again to ensure our understanding.

 _10:00 PM. All sensors set on._

 _1:45 AM. Hiro's sensor set off. First breach._

 _1:46 AM. Naoya's sensor set off. Second breach._

Akira confirmed, "And that info is not doctored in any way. The only suspects left are the ones outside the room. Taka, Ryuu, Honoka, and Sho."

"And it can't be Sho," I started, "He'd have to sneak past Honoka and Ryuu, which is hard enough, but more so, he couldn't get back down after he did."

Aya asked, confused, "What? Why?"

Honoka explained, "I burned myself on some trap. Someone hooked metal panes up to some defibrillators and ran the current through. You could only open the gate from the tenth floor, not above it. So if Sho closed it on himself, he couldn't get back down."

"Even if he could, he'd have fifteen minutes to somehow make his way to the fifth floor," I admitted, "And if Taka had the gun I mentioned, it wasn't on the scene. Someone, likely the culprit, took it. Maybe before he fell."

"If someone killed him. Could have been him, right?" Ryuu offered an idea, weakly.

I didn't want to do this but... Anything I said now would fuck Ryuu over pretty hard. I had to be delicate and-

"Since that fence was up, Taka and Ryuu were trapped upstairs. Honoka was struggling to open it herself, so unless that was a lie, she's not the culprit. Considering if she went up she'd be trapped too, and I found her on our side of it, I can conclude she wasn't upstairs" I decided not to accuse anyone yet.

"So I didn't do it," Honoka sounded sad about that, like she would rather it be that way.

Akira nodded, "So Sho couldn't do it, and even if Kojiro lied or messed with the sensors, he couldn't come back down either."

I smirked, "Ryuu was trapped up there alone and was the only person who could have killed him. It's Taka or Ryuu. Isn't that fun!?"  
Ryoji's eyes widened, "Ryuu... Is that true?"

"We just said it. Honoka, Kojiro, and Sho couldn't get up there." I sighed, having to point out the obvious to a group of supposed adults, "Taka offed himself or Ryuu loves Tamiko more. Pick one."

"There's better ways to phrase things, you know," Aya sounded unconfident, not knowing to whom she was speaking anymore.

Narutoya clarified, "Taka, kill himself? What for?"

I understand what he was saying, "He had a severe guilt complex, never knowing why he lived another day. Ryoji's inability to apologize didn't help. I imagine he thought it cathartic, him dying and killing us, those with stained hands, to save innocents. He would be trying to undo his original crime and free us the pain of living in this game." I thought about this since we found him, "He could have easily let himself die or be killed by Ryuu. They could be collaborating."

"True... Ryuu makes the trap and goes in after... Then he just has to pin it on someone, anyone else... Looks like he failed," Akira spoke her truth.

Honoka disagreed vehemently, "He'd never kill someone! Ryuu's not that kind of person!"

"Believing blindly in others is fine until I die because of it," I sneered at her, "Believing in Naoya, believing in Ryuu... Ignoring evidence... Would you kill the rest of us for a guy who wouldn't even accept your feelings!?"

Ryuu shouted, "That's enough, Tenebris!"

I glared at him, "This is Naoya!" He stepped back, surprised by my outburst, "Honoka is struggling with her own self-esteem, torn up night by night, and you can't even fucking say you like her!? Even Ryoji got the balls to ask Aya out, so what's your excuse!?"

"Tamiko came back! What am I supposed to do, ignore those feelings!? Ignore that pain!?" Ryuu shouted back, not going down without a fight.

"Shiori died not two fucking days ago and I could still fucking say it," I coldly shut him down, "I know that Tamiko hurt you, I went with you... I wanted to fix this and Monokuma ruined it... But you could have told Honoka! That night, even! I just want you to be happy... All of you..." I felt tears welling up, "Of course I want to be wrong! I wanted to be wrong with Shiori! But I didn't lie, didn't hide the truth... I went above and beyond to save us..."

"That's no reason to antagonize us!" Ryuu reprimanded me, "Life isn't easy! We make mistakes! We're all here because of them... We have to make up for them... So stop your shit!"

I clasped my hands together, "Honoka wouldn't face her true identity over you or I. Not all of us are willing to make up for it... Like Akira."

"Say what bitch?" Akira growled.

"Why don't you apologize to Kojiro for your false accusations? Or, I dunno, accept some fucking responsibility," I didn't even understand her reasoning, "Michi and Shiori dying is somehow your fault, but fuck Kojiro, am I right? You're here because of that sin, and you haven't done anything to make up for it."

Akira rolled her eyes, "What's your point? It's who I am. Don't get too close to people."

I maliciously grinned, "Is that before or after Genji?"

"How fucking dare you..." Akira dropped her flask to the stand, "You are not allowed to say that name like that... You of all people should understand what he did to me!"

"I'm just saying that you've let me down," I sighed, "After Honoka tricked us, you tossed me aside without a word. Threw Kojiro under a bus, withdrew from leading us without even considering how we felt..."

Akira didn't seem to care, "I'm not getting into relationships again. He's a fuck, killer or not, and I didn't even want the position!"

I couldn't argue with that, "Then why don't you support Maria as leader? You haven't even tried to help her, you know..."

"What's that got to do with-"

"And not wanting a relationship? The scar on my head begs to differ," Akira avoided my eyes, "Is accepting Honoka's feelings in any regard breaking a code of trust with Ryuu? Maybe. So is trying to fuck the guy Maria likes." The others exchanged curious glances.

Monokuma ate popcorn from a giant container, "Normally we solve murders, but this is my favorite soap!"

Akira gasped, "Th-that... She told you?"

I shook my head, "When I woke up with her straddling me, I took a wild fuckin' guess. And she mentioned she told you... Didn't stop you that night at truth or dare. What heartless bitch fucks her best friend's crush and doesn't even want him?"

"Am I supposed to feel bad about my mistakes?" Akira took another drag from her cigarette, "Maybe I regret it, but I can't change it."

"You won't even say sorry to Maria, huh? I thought she was like family..." I decided to tease her before the kill.

Akira regretted her wording since she started backtracking, "Of course I'm sorry about it. I just expected her to know already."

I grinned, ready for the final blow, "Still a poor excuse for a best friend. I hope you're a better mother than what I expect from all this."

She broke her cigarette in two. Her eyes clouded over briefly.

"...Mother?" Aya was confused now.

Maria shook her head, "Did you have to say that?"

"She's a MILF!? Awesome!" Sho shouted in the background.

I ignored her seething rage, "More like a MIAF. A milf I already-"

"Why... Why... Why..." Akira started repeating herself, "Why did I ever waste my time with a snot-nosed little shit like you!?"  
"Simply put, you're lonely... You want to be loved," I knew that feeling intimately, like I did her, "And we... want to love you. To appreciate you. To call you a friend. But you have to let us in, and you have to trust us," Could I get through to her? "It doesn't have to be quick. I'd just... rather get to know the real you... before one of us dies. That's all..."

Akira glanced at the floor, her eyes closed, her face etched with pain, "Have I been too hard on you..." She whispered to herself in a broken tone.

Sho turned his attention to Ryuu, "So ignoring this raging boner... Uh... did you do it? Did you run into Taka at all? Fess up now and we'll go easy on you."

"I won't," Monokuma chimed in.

Ryuu paused for a moment. "I did encounter Taka, yes. But I didn't do it."

I turned my attention to him, "So what did go down?"

He breathed in, recalling the events. "He called me up to the 20th floor during the patrol. I decided that it must be important enough if he's calling me up there now, and followed him. He was standing at the edge of the broken staircase, and he told me he had a plan. A plan to make an unsolvable murder. I would kill him by shoving him off the broken staircase, and... Somehow that would have been unsolvable. Fuck if I know how." He shook his head. "I told him I already made up my mind and I wouldn't kill him. Then the motherfucker pulled a god damn magnum on me, hell if I know how he got that." He took another breath. "I decided all I could do was call his bluff, telling him exactly how easy it would be for everyone else to figure out it was him and left. He never shot me. I went down a few floors only to find the 11th floor was locked with an electrified gate. I called for Honoka and, well, I think you guys can figure out the rest from there."

Maria shook her head, "Bullshit and lies!" She pointed an accusatory finger, "You know what you did!"

"Can we take a pause here?" Sho asked us.

"What, why?" Maria was dumbfounded.

Sho offered, "Before we go further, I need to make this clear. Likely we'll have a friend executed if we pursue the truth. Do you guys want another to die? We just lost Kicho and Taka... Soon our numbers will dwindle to a solemn few... Is it worth keeping this up?"

Akira refused, "I'm not going to stop and die. I have people to get back to."

"You do. For the rest of us, they may already be here," He argued quite articulately, "One versus eleven deaths is what you're all thinking, right? But the victims make it fourteen to eleven. Even discounting Genji, we're killing innocents. People not as bad as we have been. I'm all for fighting for your life, but is that okay?"

Aya frowned, "I don't want my sister to die... I worked so hard, became an Ultimate to save her. After Taka did what he did..." She glanced at Ryoji, "For his own reasons, I only have her... and you." She turned to Ryoji, "I don't want either of you to die. I can't win here..."

"I don't feel I deserve to live after all this..." Hiro sighed, "Kariya was... is a good man. I can't let him down."

Ryoji shrugged, "My mom's kind of... No, a total cunt. She sold me out for a crime I didn't even do."

"Fuck Genji," Akira stated simply, "Whatever happens, he won't do anything again."

Sho turned to the others, "Honoka, her mother. Kojiro, his father. Ryuu and Taka, their lovers. How many lives are we ruining and throwing away? That's why we're here... I'd rather die than ruin more lives, don't you agree?"

"Mom..." Honoka teared up, "I don't want her or Ryuu to die! And if he did it... He could be happy with Tamiko..."

Ryuu gritted his teeth. "So that's it then? You're all content to throw your lives away, accept responsibility for something we didn't even have power over?!" He bashed his fist against his podium in anger, shouting us all down. "If anyone's at fault, it's that damn bear over there and whoever's controlling him!" He pointed at Monokuma. "What would throwing our lives away now accomplish? Who's to say this is really the end of it all?! What if there's just another killing game?!" He let out a breath. "Can any of you even say for certain Monokuma would even let the hostages go alive? Knowing him, he'd just let them go only to somehow kill them right in front of whoever the blackened is, just to see the despair on their face because he gets off to it."

Maria rebuked him, "So kill Tamiko and the people who matter to US because you don't trust the mastermind? That it? You deserved your partner. Big talk from the killer who went this far to save them anyways, you know?"

"That's it, then? You're taking the blame from Monokuma and the mastermind? Absolve them of all sin; clearly we all caused this?" He shook his head. "That's bullshit and you know it. If you're not willing to make that sacrifice, if you're not willing to cut losses to make sure this can't happen again, then fine. Go ahead and die. I can't make that choice for you." He sighed, slumping down. "You think it doesn't tear me apart? Having to let my girlfriend I spent so many sleepless nights worrying about, taking blood money from Pepper just to see her get better die? I hate it! I fucking hate it! But you know what I hate more? The thought that this damn black and white bear, and whoever his little masters are are getting away with this. Being free to do it all over again with a new set of people." He shook his head. "But if you guys would rather die for your friends here and now, not even knowing they'll live long enough to enjoy your sacrifice, then go ahead."

Narutoya posited, "So the eight year old Kicho's responsible for means nothing?"

"Or the girl of the belated Taka, victim to a horrible crime?" Sho remarked.

Hiro added, "If Shiori was alive, would you be talkin' that good shit?"

Ryuu just shook his head. "Of course they matter. But if they matter so much that you're willing to throw your own life away, then fine. Vote wrong. Let someone else in another killing game stop the mastermind."

"It's not throwing your life away, you stupid bastard," Hiro growled, "Saving them isn't throwing them away!"

Monokuma spoke up for once, "That's where you're wrong, Ryuu. You see, the mastermind here wanted you to go through this. Not your classmates. Not strangers. You all. You've all been selected for various reasons amounting to sin..." He shrugged, "And stop it? In what timeline? What context? You don't even have a plan. Even if you find the killer, the game will continue. And you all could die anyways. Risk assessment wise, this might be best."

"I already ended up getting Shiori killed..." I spoke at last, "Innocent or not, I won't let the mastermind run free for doing this to us! They may have even committed the murder to ensure we'd not catch them!"

Ryoji nodded, "That's true... Maybe they decided to end the game prematurely."

"This isn't a game. Games don't hurt people," Honoka replied sullenly.

I answered that, "Shiori was fine, then?"

Akira sighed, "Let's solve the murder already... Frankly, I'm not big on teamwork but..." She glanced at me, "That idiot has a point. I can't in good conscious let friends die... Sure, we're losing loved ones. And maybe we'll have no reason to live... But we can at least try and find them here, eh?"

"Certainly..." I turned to Ryuu, "In my mentioning of my dream, what did I say?

"Well, last night I had a dream. Again. And though I've had nightmares the last few days, this one superseded those. Unfortunately, this was not seamless. It cut. I remember two points of interest. In the first moment, I was presumably Taka. I had a weapon in my hands, the cold steel of a firearm."

"I never mentioned the gun was a magnum. And since that's correct, Ryuu was definitely there," I glanced at Ryuu, and then to Honoka, "What now?"

Sho nodded, "I getcha... Tryin' to lead us off your trail by fightin' so hard against my ideas... Clever."

"Ryuu wouldn't do that... I've had so many people to lose, to betray me..." Honoka glanced at Kicho's portrait, "He's the one person I can depend on, I know that!"

"What about me?" I asked, somewhat hurt.

Honoka's eyes widened, "Oh, yeah, sorry, got lost in the moment there... You know what I mean!"

I stepped away from her podium, "'Cause you totally defended me this hard, sure..."

"I can make it up to you after the trial... if you want..." She held her fingers together, giving me a shy look.

"First allow me to save your friend. Once I save his and our lives, I doubt he'll interject with the usual spiel," Ryuu glared daggers at me when I said this, "While Ryuu may be involved, he didn't put the rope on Taka. Nor could he have shut the aforementioned gate on himself without looking incredibly suspicious. If Ryuu did do this, why would he be such a blatant dumbass?"

Hiro shrugged, "Maybe that's his real talent..."

"Not helping, man," Sho shook his head in disappointment.

"I only have a thirty percent chance of being such a dumbass," Ryuu joked to himself.

I wanted to point something out, "I think I may have in mind the culprit."

Sho faced me, "Wow, really!?"

"Who is it!?" Aya exclaimed excitedly.

Ryoji feared an answer, "Please, no one I like..."

"First, I'll talk on other possibilities. The rope that hung Taka seemed to have been cut with a sharp instrument, likely a scalpel. The doors from the eleventh to the twentieth floors are all unopenable, and since he can't litter, Ryuu couldn't have thrown it away. Correct?" I pointed out to the others.

Ryuu's head turned gears finally, "I could have had it on me, but Kojiro patted me and Honoka down for items when he caught up to us."

Honoka added, "And Ryoji and Naoya were with us when the gate went down, so he couldn't have disposed of it then."

I concluded, "So Ryuu could not have cut the rope. Someone else did, suggesting an accomplice or another killer."

"An accomplice?" Kojiro asked, interested, "Perhaps..."

"I think Taka really did want to accomplish an unsolvable murder. That fence was to trap Ryuu up there to make him look super obvious," I made my theory plain, "If Taka planned to work with Ryuu, he must have had a backup. Perhaps... he threatened Ryuu's life to Honoka or... Something like that. Not that I think she would, but-"

Ryuu immediately came to her defense, "She wouldn't! If that was the case, I'd die in the executions!"

Sho pondered, "For someone who doesn't trust Monokuma, you don't think he might make a deal? Perhaps to switch her life out for yours if she wins?"

Honoka gazed away from the stands, "If Shiori were still alive, I..."

"You'd what?" Sho asked eagerly.

"I'd wonder what she would think... What she would want..." Honoka listlessly explained herself, "That being said... She's gone... And I don't intend to lose more friends if I can put a stop to it."

Kojiro rolled his eyes, "Wow... Such a deep thought."

"Dick," Akira chuckled at his wide-eyed reaction.

I had to figure something out to make a final choice, "If Honoka cut the rope where it was cut, on the seventh floor, she could have disposed of the scalpel, but..."

Sho nodded, "Yeah, like in the showering room for instance."

"Actually," Kotoko intervened, "I checked those rooms like you asked. Not too thoroughly, so it'd be hard to say... But she couldn't use the drain in the showering room... The drain is magnetic to catch small items. It was empty."

Ryuu noted, "I heard her speak to me when I reached the eleventh floor. I had headed straight there from the top... We met at around 1:25AM. So five minutes before Taka died, and I walked hastily. Not much time to dispose of evidence."

"You could be lying to protect her," Narutoya suggested, "I don't wish to distrust you, but all options are viable in the trials."

I had to ask, "Did you notice the rope when you approached Taka?"

"It was already hanging on the ceiling beam," Ryuu finally answered, "Not around his neck, though. I can confirm Naoya's statement."

"Important information, then," That's when it all clicked for the last time, "I know who the killer is."

"Who?" Aya asked excitedly once more.

I had to clarify, "Earlier, we could assume Sho and Honoka could not have killed him. They'd be trapped up there afterwards. Same for Kojiro. That evidence is what damned Ryuu, correct?"

"Yeah...?" Hiro was lost.

I nodded, "And without Kojiro's help, I'd be lost."

"My help?" He sounded confused.

"The sensor data and the cause of death for Taka..." I noted, "Taka didn't die from hitting his head, as you thought. His neck snapping happened first. That rope doesn't reach all the way to the bottom, so it snapped taut and tore his neck apart."

Kojiro seemed confused, "I was wrong, then...?" He sighed, "So the bloodstains on the wall and the clothing were his..."

I consented to that, "Exactly! He swung into the wall after the rope, the murder weapon, snapped his neck... More importantly, someone cut him down. Ryuu could not have done so because he didn't know the secret. The secret to killing Taka and escaping the fence trap!"

"An escape...?" Ryuu didn't like that idea at all, "The stairs are the only way up and down."

"Not if the rope is in place. Ryoji said it himself...

 ***-Flashback-***

I concurred, "The fourth floor had a closet with supplies in it, including a rope that reached from the roof to about the sixth or seventh floor. You could easily use a piece of it to hang someone."

Ryoji added, "It's also quite sturdy. Would have easily handled our weight if we'd all climbed down."

Now that I didn't know, "You a rope expert?"

"Hey, I'm not weird." Ryoji defended himself, "I just use them in archaeology digs, that's all."

That might factor into this. I had to remember that.

 ***-Flashback End-***

I finished the thought, "The culprit could have climbed up the rope behind him and tie it around him. Then, they would knock him over and hang him. Finally, they could climb down, trap Ryuu upstairs, and frame him for the murder with ease. And with that, we only have three suspects. Sho, Kojiro, and Honoka."

Kojiro nodded, "My data proves that. No breaches means it's one of us three... That's brilliant."

With that, I had determined the killer. It was obvious to me now.

The killer was...

"Kojiro Keigo... The accomplice to Lorraine... He's good at covering up other people's murders... But even his own!?" I decided to announce it in a dramatic fashion.

Kojiro glanced at me, "What are you talking about, exactly?"

I thought to myself, "Funny. A detective and an apprentice to one both kill the shortest member of their respective gender in our group, one so torn up by their own cycle; Michi with her life ruined, Taka with the lives he ruined. Cathartic, in a way."

"Why do you think it's me?"

"The lying. What you said when we found Taka's body...

 ***-Flashback-***

Amidst the chaos, I asked Kojiro something, "Did you determine the cause of death?"

Kojiro begrudgingly answered, "His cause of death seems to be the cranial hemorrhaging. His head wound." He frowned, "I've not as much experience with dead bodies as someone else in our midst... Or perhaps two..." He glanced at Kotoko, "But I promise that is the truth."

 ***-Flashback End-***

Kojiro argued, "That's how it appeared to me."

Akira scoffed at the thought, "A policeman lacking experience in bodies? You covered up for a fucking serial killer... There's no shortage."

Honoka pointed out, "If he hit his head as you said, those cuts meant he cut himself on the way down. But his body didn't show any live reactions..."

"Live reactions?" Ryoji asked, not understanding the terminology.

"The body reacts to pain. Dilated pupils, body temperature, the amount of blood loss from a live wound and one inflicted post-mortem," Honoka explained, "This is how forensics experts determine whether damage to a body occurred before or after death, essentially. If they struggled, signs of strains or tightened muscles."

I concluded, "If he fell straight to his death, his legs were injured as he fell. There'd be signs to indicate that. More importantly, it signifies a direction change. If his legs hit the wall, he was falling head to the ceiling. Yet he hit the floor headfirst. Another discrepancy. Combining these facts, it's clear he was held to the side of the floor when the rope was cut and dropped headfirst."

Ryuu pieced it together, "That's how he could claim the neck broke! If he hit his head, we'd assume the long fall broke both... But that was just to cover up the neck broken already and hide the rope trick!"

"Kojiro getting such important information wrong? Unlikely." I admitted, "Additionally, Taka had a magnum as Ryuu stated. The hospital had none. Kojiro did. He brandished it to Kicho several times."

Sho glanced at Kojiro, "This is damning in this context... While it still could be myself or Honoka, the fact you blatantly lied and have access to the weapon Taka had is hard to argue with."

"Framing me... doesn't seem like something Honoka would do," Ryuu believed in her still, "Leaving the magnum behind would ruin your plan. Of course you took it back."

I nodded in agreement, "Hence why you hung him first instead of dropkicking him. You needed a route up and down if Ryuu said no. That's why the method of murder changed."

Kojiro argued, "How is there proof Taka intended to work with Ryuu? It still could be him playing the long game."

Kotoko spoke up, "Actually..." She revealed something new, "I found another fence in place above the sixteenth floor. Lockable from the inside. If Ryuu kicked Taka down, closed that gate on Taka's area, and climbed himself down with the rope and hid it. Then he just lets us find it on his own."

I nodded, "A seemingly unsolvable murder, unless I assumed the rope was used. Even if I did, it's a brilliant plan."

"Why would I work with him, then?" Kojiro refused to admit to anything.

"To save your father... To make up for your past mistakes, maybe... To honor Taka's last wish," I gave what I thought his motives were, "Your job was to save and protect innocents and free your dad. Collaborating with Taka does both."

Kojiro glanced around at each of us in turn, "It would be a shame if everyone here died, you know? We made mistakes as humans often do, but now we have to die? The mastermind amongst us is cruel... I am not them, unfortunately. I had only agreed to hear Taka out because... I felt obligated to. If I understood his plans, I could foil them. But the more I thought about it, I wondered... Could I stop him?"

"If he was so gung-ho on it, he might have asked others. He might have asked... Me?" I said, not my own voice at the end, "Not that I'd have agreed. Working with beta males is fine and all, but I can't kill some of the girls here. Not without them having experienced true joy..."

Akira mumbled, "I mean, I can't lie..."

"After what Kicho and Hiro did, I realized we might not grow. We might just devolve further..." He clenched his fist, "Would that be alright? If more and more of us died due to motives and petty infighting, how many would live? A handful of us... or one lone Blackened?"

"I get that fear," Ryuu spoke up, "I really do. But I want to gamble for my friends, not against. That's why I choose life."

"Then let us agree to disagree..." Kojiro somberly stated, "But consider my experiences here for once. Shiori and Naoya were the only two to understand me or try to. Not even Honoka would interact with me out of the fear she too, would be targeted."

Honoka spoke up, "You wouldn't have wanted me to, right? To hide my identity."

Kojiro nodded, "I wouldn't want you to experience what I have..." He frowned at the rest of us, "Of course I'd be tempted by Taka's offer. Do the rest of you think you get to treat others however you want and get away with that?"

Sho glared at Hiro, "Right, Hiro? You know that most of all... This bullshit is unacceptable..."

"Why do you care?" I asked, confused.

"I help people. And I've never met people less deserving..." Sho glared at most of us, "If I have to choose, I'd kill you guys for the sake of the victims, too. Ryuu can go on and on about fighting the mastermind... But we might not be here if it weren't for our own actions and for people like us... If someone here is really not from our universe, they want to punish us, too. It very well might be our fault that we're here."

"I never said we're free of fault!" Ryuu yelled back, "I meant that we needed to put a stop to this, to these killing games... I can't let the mastermind go free!"

Sho turned on him instantly, "So you'd kill innocent people over people like you and Honoka to do that. Would that not inspire another? If someone here hated you so much they wanted you to die for killing their motive, they might set up one to fuck your plan. Did you think of that? If they kill you in cold blood, how will your fucking plan work then!?"

Ryuu paused. "Then I guess the mastermind can win. If they'd rather kill one of the people who pulled the lever, than the one who brought all these people here to begin with. In case you haven't noticed, Sho, I'm not exactly the one holding coma patients hostage to prove a point. Am I wrong for refusing the mastermind's demands?" He sighed. "If you all want to give in then fine. This is a democracy here, so if more than half of us would rather give in to his demands, then whatever I say doesn't mean a damn in the end, does it?"

"If Kojiro isn't the mastermind, won't they die, too? If they are the one who *truly* started this game, isn't that what you want? Maybe they see us dying to save the victims as the redemption we seek?" Honoka pointed out.

"And the other mastermind, outside the game? Kojiro might be the best equipped to handle it. But could he pull it off? Could he handle it while carrying our corpses on his back, while having to look after all the victims?" Ryuu shook his head. "And do we even know for sure if the mastermind here will truly get the axe? Who's to say the rules won't conveniently bend just for them at the last second?"

Monokuma interrupted the argument, "You don't trust the mastermind amongst us because of what? They make a game and have blood on their hands? Isn't that the kettle hiding two different serial killers calling the pot a murderer who lies to his friends?"

Sho sighed, "These games are meant to have rules. If the mastermind wanted to just kill us, he would." Sho added, "On the other hand, if he wants to make us suffer at any cost, he wouldn't execute all of us because that would be too quick; we presumably wouldn't learn anything. So he'd either kill none of us or all of us." Sho pointed at Ryuu, "If that's the case, your arguments mean nothing because we can't win. If the game is completely rigged, your lol hope speeches amount to bupkis."

"So the mastermind can't try to prove their point and not risk death? It wouldn't be hard to fake a death in an execution. Or just leave you injured, l-..." Ryuu seemed to stumble on his tongue, stopping himself. "My point is, if we're just here for the mastermind to prove a point, I don't see why the mastermind wouldn't give himself a little extra to go on. If the end goal is to prove a point, wouldn't they want to live to see it proven if they were eliminated? Not unless they were one of those crazy thrill seekers, I guess."

I glared at him, "Did you just nearly mention her name to talk shit on the mastermind?"

Aya frowned at Ryuu, shaking her head, "Even for a murderer's accomplice like you, that's low."

Kojiro sighed, "As for being a murderer's accomplice..."

"I still can't believe Taka did all this..." Hiro sighed, "To hate himself so much to die for others... If I had to go, though..."

Kotoko denied that, "I wouldn't want you to die like that... Or at all."

"Let's get this trial back on track. Did I kill Taka in the hopes of saving the victims?" Kojiro said it himself, "I lied about the cause of death Taka had... But that's still a weak argument."

"Do you have your gun on you?" I asked him directly.

He showed us his empty holster, "My gun is gone. If I hide that, you and Ryuu will hang the witch. If I don't, it looks pretty bad. But I don't have it. If I did kill Taka, I'd have taken it myself and argued it wasn't there, right? But I can't do that because *I* don't have it."

Akira frowned, "Normally I'd just call you a liar... But I'm having a change of heart. Any idea why it's gone?"

"If the culprit cut the rope, they couldn't reach the bottom to get it. Someone else took it. Unless they took it before the fall," Kojiro thought to himself, "Strange Honoka didn't notice him hanging. She claims she was outside of Ryuu's entrapment the entire time, but she should have noticed how to open the gate. She's not an idiot."

I glanced over to her, "That is weird to think you wouldn't know... Ryuu, did you actually hear her on the other side?"

"No..." Ryuu gave me a face that told me kindly to stop, "I don't believe she'd lie to me. Or frame me, either."

"That's a fair point... Kojiro could have done it, but Honoka could have, too..." Maria realized this so late in the game.

Kojiro added, "Also, as you know, I didn't edit that sensor data. I did not breach that sensor, but I turned it on at 10PM. That's a pretty clear argument from where I'm standing."

"That's a pretty bullshit argument if you have ever paid attention," I responded.

Sho argued, "Not at all. He chatted with us right beforehand and we watched him go inside. I can verify it personally."

Ryuu scowled, "Unfortunately, same."

I laughed, "That's smart of you, Kojiro, but I see through the bullshit."

"Then what is this bullshit?" Kojiro challenged me, "Even Akira backed up my statement. It shows the sensors going on and being breached. There's no lie there. She confirmed herself it wasn't doctored, either."

"Yeah, it does. It does. And she did," I knew the truth now, "That sensor information was purposefully omitted, if it was turned off. You could just turn yours off from in your room and murder. Return, and act like you turned it off when Sho arrived. And if you don't turn it back on, we'd never know."

Sho's eyes widened, "But that's-"

I cut him off, "So unless Sho intends to argue something like; 'But his sensor was on when I ran in', then I've got you. And considering if he said that now how stupid it would be considering I witnessed his panicking movements firsthand, I can safely say you lied to us. And sensors would normally record both on and off data, so someone programmed them not to. And with purpose."

"Who took the gun if it wasn't Kojiro?" Ryuu asked, unsure.

Kojiro pointed to the two most likely suspects, "Honoka and Sho. They were the only people with access to the crime scene. Even I couldn't since, if I did commit the crime, I'd have to return to my room quickly."

Sho added, "He couldn't have slipped past me without a rope to climb. He could not have taken it if it was still on Taka's person."

"Which again, I would have used to counter Ryuu's testimony if I did do it," Kojiro further reminded us of his statement.

"Beside the real point," Akira shut them both up, "I'm not Ryuu. I'm here to play a game called Not Die. Mastermind or not, we have to survive this first, no matter what the truth is... I'm going to have to say it's Kojiro. While Honoka may be smart enough and experienced enough to pull this off, I can't ignore the lies."

Ryuu chimed in, "It's too suspicious. It has to be you."

Kojiro smirked at Ryuu, "Wouldn't it ruin your whole ideals if you guessed wrong on flimsy evidence?"

"Wouldn't it get us all killed if you lied for no reason twice?" Ryuu shot back, "The first nearly condemned me and the second pointed to you."

I stepped in, "Let me finish this...

Taka must have hatched a plan the second the motive was revealed on day ten. To accomplish this, he went to Kojiro and they teamed up for the supposed greater good. Kojiro affected what data the sensors would transmit and set it up as a backup plan. Taka intended to convince Ryuu to do the murder instead of Ryoji. He gathered the metal panes and intended to set up two fences; one on floor eleven to frame Ryuu if need be, and one on floor sixteen to make the murder look unsolvable. The rope was a back up idea for the second murder plan.

Kojiro handed the gun to Taka to threaten Ryuu's life if need be, but he turned his back on the whole idea. Now fervent to frame Ryuu, Kojiro turned off his sensor and closed the gate on him. Using the rope to climb up, Kojiro pushed Taka down, climbed down it, cut the rope loose and returned to his room with haste. Then he lied about the cause of death to further confuse us, to make us think he just fell to his death as was intended for Ryuu to have done it.

When we pointed out his lies, he used the excuse of the missing magnum to try and frame Honoka or Sho at the last second. I don't know who actually took the gun, but I do know the only person with the motive and who absolutely had to have factored into this case was Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman!"

"That's... true." Kojiro finally conceded, "Don't expect me to act ridiculously. I understand my position right now and gladly accept it. Unlike the rest of you, I'll admit to my crimes. I killed Taka Suzuha."

Hiro scratched his head, "Now, when you say it, it sounds like bullshit."

Kojiro ignored his offhanded remark, "Who else could have done it but me? Let's just end this charade. Then you can get to the next killing and enjoy the same pain all over again. But remember... I offered you an out."

"Is it... alright, then? To end it here? Can those lies be enough to convict him if someone else took the gun?" Aya asked, unsure, "What if they did it... and Kojiro's innocent?"

Honoka offered, "Even if he was an accomplice, who would he even be covering for?"

"Who indeed..." I turned my attention on the only person I could think of, "Huh, Lorraine?"

"What?" Honoka gave me a side glance.

I decided to voice a simple thought, "He's covered murders, you know. Yours, mostly. Maybe he's just settling into that role again very nicely. Like he tried to for... Shiori."

"That's not-" Kojiro started.

Kotoko interjected, "You lied to all of us to get the wrong answer, even pretended to be Lorraine to that end. You might just be manipulating us to protect her, right?"

"Why would I kill Taka?" Honoka spoke up, "Kojiro's history aside, he has a motive. I don't. I wouldn't kill for my mother, the one who caused so much pain..."

"It would explain why you covered Kicho's more," I offered, "We need to find yours first or we get caught, right? Then you can't save anyone."

Honoka's eyes widened, "I did that for you of all people and you would-"

I felt my body shift, "Tenebris, actually. I didn't agree to your feelings. Even I don't truly get why you said yes. You betrayed the others, even Ryuu, the one you said you loved, to lie for Naoya, second place. Suspicious, right?"

Kojiro shook his head, "Why would I cover two murders back to back?"

"Consistency?" Hiro joked.

"Honoka or Kojiro, which could it be?" I regained their attention, "I guess I'll just point out the definitive evidence if we've come this far."

Honoka was transfixed on me, "You can prove one way or the other? What am I saying... You can. In some ways, you're more reliable than Ryuu."

I winked, "You know it. Or soon will," Ryuu stared and wished only death at me, "Shall I explain it now? The decisive evidence?"

"So who is it!?" Ryoji squealed, "Say it already!"

"Well, in my dream Taka had the gun. That proves Kojiro was cooperating to some extent," I revealed the truth gradually, "Considering Kojiro's lies, it would be evident, to me at least, that if he really wanted to keep Honoka in, he'd have left the sensor data in to screw himself over more. If he didn't, that makes me think blaming Honoka is his last ditch effort," I turned to Kojiro, "And some murders are best solved by motive. I cannot definitively prove Honoka or Kojiro did it through direct evidence, but Kojiro's motive is the stronger. So I'm voting him. And it's up to the rest of you who to trust."

Monokuma jumped up in his chair, ending our argument, "This trial has gone on painfully long, and I like the idea of a faith vote! Let's consider this over with... and get to VOTING TIME!"

"What!? But-" Ryuu shouted out, angered at the mastermind for cutting things short, "Resorting to cheating already!?"

"Unless you have proof one way or another, what can you do?" Monokuma grinned, "If you have any decisive evidence, please... elaborate."

Ryuu grumbled in his spot, having no such evidence.

Monokuma jeered, "It's VOTING TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!"

We were all given thirty seconds to vote, and we all eventually did so, knowing the consequences. As the slot machine spun and spun and landed on Kojiro, coins spewed out from the bottom as the Monokuma on the screen laughed maliciously.

Twelve votes highlighted Kojiro, even his own.

Monokuma laughed psychotically, "And it seems... you got it horribly horribly... wrong!"

"What!?" Sho exclaimed in surprise.

"That's right... the killer was in fact... Ryuu Nomoya himself!" Monokuma announced to our dismay.

Kojiro gasped, "Nani!?"

Monokuma finished his famous laugh, "Just kidding, it's Kojiro! I got you good, huh? Even the players at home, if there are any! You just got pranked!"

"Damn bear... My heart can't take this..." Ryoji exclaimed through tears.

"Of course I wouldn't have done this..." Ryuu felt tears well up, "I came this far to stop you... I basically killed Tamiko myself..."

Honoka tried to reassure him, "No... We all voted for Kojiro, right? Then... Mom..." Honoka burst into tears, "Even if she used me, I..."

Monokuma chuckled, "Execution time! Let's go!"

Monokuma ruthlessly pressed a button and the hospital ward was shown. Kicho's brother, Hiro's uncle Kariya, Ryoji's mother, Aya's sister Setsuki, still confined to her bed, Satsuki, Maria's father, Kotoko's dance instructor, Narutoya's last coworker, Sho's brother, and Honoka's mother died simultaneously as the ward had gas pumped in through several vents, killing them all instantly the same way Taka might have done to his school.

Kojiro's father was separately burned alive in a small contained room. Kojiro ran for it, but Hiro stopped him as he screamed and begged for us to let him die before this nightmare ended.

Next was... Tamiko.

A text cursor was visible in the corner of Tamiko's room. From it, Monokuma typed in "delete ;" causing charges placed under her bed to detonate. The camera cut to static, displaying in the corner " not found"

Finally, Akira's victim was left. We expected to see in the room in front of us a dying young man. Instead we saw... a three year old boy, wandering around the white room in confusion.

That is when it clicked for me. I knew my dream had a second part, but now I understood.

In my head, a voice asked; give me the power I seek and we can save the child. I agreed.

Akira screamed in a fit of rage and sadness I could never have expected as she dropped her flask to the ground, whiskey spattering everywhere as she charged with reckless abandon. She brushed past Hiro, Sho, and even Kojiro without trying to knock them back as she sped for her destination.

Monokuma jumped in and latched onto her legs, swinging her back. She gripped onto Monokuma in a frenzy and battled with him.

In the room, holes opened up from several different corners, spears poking out.

A single moment is enough to change someone's life radically. Ryuu and Ryoji glimpsed at each other and back to the scene in pure horror as the spears launched. They weren't staring at Yusuke, though.

I had pushed the young child out of the way as Monokuma focused on Akira. He turned to me, allowing Akira to kick him so hard he split in half, each part flying off and blowing up into bits.

Yusuke was safely knocked out of the room, the wall I had burst through like a bad commercial character, as the spears all fired on me. I tried to dodge them, but one lodged itself in my shoulder and another through my right thigh.

"What the!?" Ryuu shouted.

Ryoji jumped forward, following to my position, "Naoya, nooo!"

I smirked, my silver eyes telling them the truth, "Tenebris... would never let... this happen to Akira..." Scooping up Yusuke, now crying profusely, I walked over to the others on unsteady, shaky steps. As Akira approached at top speed, I fell forward, placing Yusuke safely on the ground as I coughed up blood.

"If this... is how it ends... I couldn't ask for something better." I said to myself and to Akira, who grabbed Yusuke with tears overflowing. She shouted my name, but I collapsed.

 ***-Kotoko's POV-***

Naoya crumpled up like a broken toy. I shouted, screamed, and cried but a white haze overcame us, and we all passed out.

When we came to, a new Monokuma growled, "That damned Shinji... He tended to Naoya's wounds and got Yusuke out before I could finish him... That sneaky bastard knows I can't just warp in here..."

Akira growled, "Don't lie to me, you bastard!"

"I'm not, I'm not..." Monokuma shook his head, "It's time to execute Kojiro anyways... Naoya, how ya doin' buddy?"

Naoya said nothing, clutching his bandaged shoulder, unable to so much as stand.

Monokuma sighed, "Ah, no fun..." Then he raised the gavel high, "Well, either way, I've prepared a very special punishment today for Kojiro Keigo, the Ultimate Policeman!" He smashed the gavel down onto the button with a small squeak, "It's PUNISHMENT TIIIIIIIIIIME!"

 **-The Ultimate Policeman's Execution! Prison Life!-**

Kojiro appeared in the middle of a giant prison complex in the yard. All of the Guard Monokumas conveniently left the yard at once, leaving Kojiro surrounded by men and women of all shapes and sizes, some carrying shanks and pillowcases filled with soap bars as they approached him.

Kojiro smiled and yelled, rushing for them, understanding how this was meant to go.

The fight started off well. Kojiro grabbed someone and used their face as a battering ram, bulldozing through the crowd to a gate. Kojiro was hit several times, nicked by blades and smashed by pillowcases before he stole one himself, swinging it wildly like a heavy hammer and flinging everyone around, ragdolling them to the ground and leaving them unmoving.

Finally, he approached the gate and the door opened. He closed the door behind him, breathing heavily, only for guards to surround him, armed with batons, stun guns, and even pistols. They proceeded to knock his leg out with a surprise attack from a baton and beat and stun him until every part of his face and arms were bruised nearly beyond recognition. Finally, a Monokuma Guard walked up and slammed his riot shield directly into Kojiro's neck, snapping it like he had done Taka's...

As the scene faded out, Monokuma lauded the scene, "Amazing! A man who sought justice killed by those sworn to defend it! Not surprising, considering the country in question... Glad he wasn't a girl, or that might have gotten... nasty."

"This is sick... I will stop you, mastermind!" Ryuu shouted out, "No matter what it takes, I will defeat you!"

No one joined him in this. Some of them blamed Ryuu for this result; others worried for Naoya's health. I wanted to agree with him, but Naoya was my priority... After all...

He saved me... from myself.

Akira offered Naoya a hand, "Here, let me take you back," Naoya smiled as Akira lifted him up on her shoulder, "I can't thank you enough..."

Naoya shyly blushed, "N-no... It's the least I could do... After all, I..."

He stopped speaking, and Akira helped him back to his room. When we all got back, we found a message for us just as the doors to our hotel rooms locked on us. What was the mastermind doing now!?


	39. Another Episode: Universe Two

**Another Episode: Universe Two...**

 **Somewhere, in universe two...**

Shinji Kizami was talking through speaker to someone in a far away place, "I've located the headquarters of one Monaca Towa. I'm moving in on her location now."

"Remember to be safe," a female voice spoke back, "Understand?"

"Shinju... This is my fault. I'm partly why this happened. Had I never come back to see Sheena, she might not have done all of this." Shinji was trying to sound calm and rational, but his feelings belied his tone.

Shinju chewed him out, "You had better not die, Shinji. Our daughter deserves to live with a father. And the others would never forgive you, either. I know you care about her, but you cannot risk your life if you don't have to. Do you read me?"

Shinji smiled, thinking of his family back home, his loved ones awaiting his return, "Loud and clear, Miss Kizami."

"Good. And last names? That just gets confusing with us..." Shinju laughed at her own joke, "Now do your best... Ultimate Manwhore."

Shinji nodded and hung up, staring down into the inky blackness of the hallway before him. He didn't know what to expect from the insane Towa demonspawn, but it couldn't be good.

The entire time he walked further into the darkness that reached for him, he grew more uneasy, as if being watched.

Down the furthest corridor, he pressed open two doors to see a room filled with machinery, broken Monokuma parts, and Monaca Towa, smirking at him from her comfortable seat as she was waiting all along, "My nano cameras told me you were coming, mister Kizami. They're super helpful!"

"I don't have time for games, Monaca." Shinji pulled out the very gun his other self had once used out on her, "I'll make this clear. Tell me where Sheena and the others are before I show you real suffering."

Monaca tilted her head, "You must want to know, right? What motivated Jun's sister to commit these crimes, right?"

Glaring at her, Shinji cocked the gun, "We have little time. Explain quickly."

"Sheena found out about her sister's death and the circumstances surrounding it... She asked Naegi-kun, and he, being the nice guy he is, disclosed it in the hopes she'd find closure. Instead... she kidnapped her classmates and rallied together a killing game!"

Shinji nodded, "Using the vengeance and life-ruining cycle as a theme. But why? Is she trying to revive Junko or something else altogether?"

Monaca grinned wider, "I suggested using Junko's body because it was so well-preserved. It was the perfect test subject with the Ultimate Cadaver having gone missing."

"This is what happens when I don't ensure things are going smoothly before I went to universe one..." Shinji felt the weight of his guilt come upon him, evidenced by the release of anger towards Monaca, "Tell me where they are."

"Spare me," Monaca spoke clearly, "Let me live. I only set up Monokuma and ran things for Sheena outside the game. And before you ask why, because it wasn't boring."

Shinji pointed the gun right at her chest, "If you ever cause pain and suffering again, I'll shoot you in the fucking face."

Monaca shrugged and tossed a folder to the floor at Shinji's feet, "Just go ahead and read it. That has every detail of this game and how Sheena made it work. And their location in Towa City..."

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't done with? I doubt it's as simple as that you did all this... What are you not telling me!?" Shinji shouted at the former L'il Ultimate Homeroom.

"Read it," Monaca urged.

Shinji took his attention off of her to open the folder and found technical documents, among other things, detailing her elaborate schemes.

Behind Monaca, a machine warped back into existence. Or perhaps... back into that time. Monaca opened it up, hit some of the flashing buttons, and laughed as steam opened up on either side.

Shinji heard the expulsion of steam and looked on in horror as Monaca leaned into and closed the door on the machine. "What!? My machine... It was still set to auto-return!? Who used it!? Monaca!"

Shinji rushed forward to where she once stood, but found no solace. He was too late.

 ***Video Ends***

 ***A Memo***

Shinji knew already Monaca was instrumental. He didn't initially say it because he was likely in denial. At any of this being his fault, for letting Monaca slip through his fingers. Whatever her involvement may be, rest assured; this game would have occurred. This is just a demonstration of Monaca's machines.

In the first universe, as contracted, Monaca made nano cameras that captured this scene. The same that follow you all now. But there's... one more thing. Be prepared for it...


	40. Another Episode: Shinji's Sin

**Another Episode 1: Shinji's Sin**

 _My name is Nagisa Shingetsu. Formerly the L'il Ultimate Social Studies. Now I am the Ultimate Child Psychologist. I specialized after the events in Towa City._

 _In case you're wondering why my thoughts can be heard, I must explain. I am currently testing Monaca's most recent experimental technology. She created nano cameras to fulfill a request from the new headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Makoto Naegi. Urged on by security advisor Kyosuke Munakata, one of the few survivors of the "Final" Killing Game, he is taking more measures than ever before to ensure a situation like Junko will never unfold for the second time._

 _To that end, he's funding and implementing these cameras so small the eye can't typically perceive them to monitor school grounds. He's also hired staff far more than qualified to handle any rowdy Ultimates._

 _As for me, I'm testing the emergency version of that plan. It's a small bug that uses the neurochemicals in our bodies to essentially read and reproduce our thoughts in audio form. It attaches to the skin and thus, is quite visible. Her idea is to use these for exceedingly dangerous students, like, for example, my classmates and I._

 _I'm on my way to the Towa City Orphanage right now. I built it for the kids whose parents we killed in the Towa City incident. I regret my actions, and have since studied children better to understand the effects of abuse. I do this in hopes of preventing another children's paradise event..._

After reaching the outside of the four story building, Nagisa opens the door and steps inside. He glances around at the many children running to and fro, a small smile escaping onto his lips.

Two children ran up to him, absolutely smothered in dirt, "Nagisa! We played war! Dirt clods! Grass! It was fun!"

"You should play next time, Uncle Nagisa!" The other kid, a young girl with ponytails, excitedly demanded.

"What did I say about that?" Nagisa leaned down onto his knees and patted their heads, "What if there were rocks inside?"

"No way!" The smiling boy spoke confidently, "Daddy Masaru checked them all himself! He made sure we played safe, too!"

Nagisa closed his eyes and smiled, "I see. You let him know I'm thankful for that. Safety is a major concern for us. We don't want to see any child getting hurt because of us."

The two nodded and ran off to play with some toys in the other room.

Nagisa's smile faded away as he ascended the stairs one by one.

 _A little backstory, then, for those who hear it._

 _Masaru Daimon, the leader and Hero of the Warriors of Hope, grew up to become the father figure of the orphanage. Not a drinker or a fighter, he held a great example of physical fitness and a wonder for learning on hand. In these efforts, he had become the Ultimate Parkour Expert, learning to leap from rooftops to train his body to catch anyone who dare threaten his friends and home. Only one person, one child, ever had..._

Nagisa grimaced as he reached the second floor, but shook his head when he was greeted by a young girl drawing, "And how are you, Natsuki?"

Natsuki turned to him, her green eyes lighting up with sparkles, "Jataro-kun gave me his favorite crayons! He says I might be the next L'il Ultimate Arts and Crafts if I work hard enough!"

"Well, Jataro wouldn't say that for just anyone, so I know you must really have a knack for it. If you have any questions, come to me or him, okay?"

She nodded excitedly and went back to work.

Nagisa climbed up the steps with a bad taste in his mouth. He knew what had happened to her young mother, why she had been left alone. He had ended it quickly, to spare her suffering at the hands of the others. And Jataro... with his fucking diorama...

 _Jataro Kemuri, the latchkey kid. Abandoned and berated by his own mother because of his natural beauty, he grew to hate himself and enjoyed when others treated him like garbage for it. And those dioramas were... the worst thing I'd ever laid eyes on. Jataro saw me as a comforting figure, and I did my best to guide him. He wasn't even my biggest concern in that department, not anymore._

On the third floor, Nagisa found the wall of excellence. Gold stars, encouraging words, a design on his part.

 _They called me Uncle... Mostly because I was around, but not often enough for their liking. The kids' incessant teasing did little to dissuade me from spending time with them, though it would factor in my relationship with one person._

 _I focused on the motivation wall. I shuddered. Mommy Kotoko made it to remind the kids why they work so hard, in schoolwork or otherwise. She could keep them motivated, but that cute face belied a dark past._

 _Jataro was cruel to the dead, but Kotoko was cruelest of all. To the ones she considered cute, she was the underage nympho they never expected. And the lives she ruined, the people she "motivated"..._

 _The few times I felt we didn't deserve Naegi's protection, it was those lonely nights when I feel I let them down. Let them become something they weren't..._

The fourth floor. Nagisa opened the door delicately and stepped into Monaca's office. Aunt Monaca, the children said.

Monaca turned around in her swivel chair, arms resting on the rests, hands under her chin, "About time, Nagisa. How long must your wonderful wife wait?"

Blushing erratically, Nagisa waved his hands, "Whatever the kids think, w-we are not married!"

"Not yet. I'm waiting for a ring, Nagisa. Before I end up in some grave danger myself..." Monaca joked, likely at someone else's expense.

"What a-are you saying...? Would you really be fine with a g-guy like me?" Nagisa shook his head, "Wait, no, before I forget. Take this off of me." He pointed to his watch, where the bug had been hidden gracefully, "It works, right?"

"Before I do that..." She tapped her fingers on the desk, "We have this to worry about. Our official invites to Hope's Peak Academy."

Nagisa stared at them and grabbed his in shock, pulling the top of the envelope off and reading its contents, "What... He actually intends to go through with it!?"

Monaca grinned, "Gullible, isn't he? Trusting the Warriors of Hope to attend *that* school? He's just asking for a second disaster..."

"What have the others said?" Nagisa sounded frightened now.

"Masaru and Jataro agreed, but Kotoko hasn't come back yet. It'll be hard for us to attend. Especially since... some of our classmates might not enjoy our participation," Monaca admitted readily, "In all due courtesy, I'd tell her, but... Well, I think she would trust this from you more."

Nagisa groaned, "You intend to do this to me?"

Monaca smirked, "Do it, and we can go on a date. Our first official one."

"I'm not a child anymore," Nagisa shot back, "And I've not forgotten what you did to us. To all of us."

"I know that..." She sighed, "But if any of those feelings were real, wouldn't that explain my work here? Do you think I've survived so long and come so far just to throw all that away? Those countless nights rebuilding my relationships with you guys, helping build this place..." Monaca shook her head, "Believe me or not. I'll accept that. But please... tell her yourself."

Nagisa glanced away, his face red, "I didn't say no. I'll have a chat with her."

Monaca smiled and grabbed his hand, "Thank you... I mean that."

 **...**

"Fuck no," Shinji stated his opinion outright, "I'm not having anyone work here under those circumstances! How fucking stupid are you!?"

He, a sharply dressed Munakata sporting his white tux and eyepatch, an adult Naegi, and Kyoko standing at his side listened to the angry man in a red coat and black clothing. They were on a balcony overlooking the school.

Munakata warned, "Calm down, Kizami. I understand. I voiced my concerns as well and-"

He stopped him, "You calm down, Odin! I know those freaks, and I know the things that some of them did to the rest of your intended students. Hiro, Naoya, Maria... I'm not letting that happen. It's a school rampage or a killing game bound to happen!"

Kyoko asked, "Didn't hope get your friends out of a bad place?"

Shinji growled, "And I took a bullet to the head for what that was worth. And my friends still tried to tear each other apart. I'm not having anyone affiliated with me watching this school. Not with those crazy bastards!"

Naegi turned to Shinji and smiled confidently, "Don't you trust me? The 77th class worked out fine with help from their juniors."

"He won, in the end..." Munakata added, knowing how painful that time of his life was when he disagreed.

"And only at the cost of everyone you loved, who woulda thunk?" Shinji mocked the both of them, "Well, I'm not losin' the ones I love because the poster boy for hope is a god damn dumbass!"

"Are you that opposed to it?" Makoto asked, hand under chin, "You rehabilitated Shinju, correct?"

Shinji gave him an incredulous look, "She didn't turn people into dioramas, or motivate people into sex toys, or rack up points murderin' parents, or nearly have all kids in a heavily-populated city explode like molding pumpkins, understand!?"

Makoto sighed, "Well, I really need your help... I just hoped that you'd want to give them a chance. You said everyone deserves a second chance, right? But I'll leave it up to you. Whether we take them in or not..."

"Grh..." Shinji knew Makoto was trying to convince him to do the right thing, but it left a bad taste in his mouth how he said it, "One condition. I get to recruit them myself and choose their assigned classes myself."

"And why would *you* want to handle all that?" Kyosuke asked, suspicious of his intents.

Shinji shook his head, "I have someone I need to protect. And I will keep her safe from the unnecessary drama the rest might get her involved in. Take it or no deal."

Makoto smiled, "Of course," He held out his hand, and the two men shook, "I trust you implicitly."

"You didn't win or anything, okay? I just feel like this is best for my former family. N-nothing more... Baka."

Kyoko joked, "Spending time with the missus again?"

Shinji blushed and turned away, glancing down at the list of students. Now how could he make this work?

 ***-Video Ends-***

 ***Note***

For a sin to be so small, so inconsequential almost makes me wish to absolve this one. Shinji's choice to accept the Warriors of Hope and to incorporate them into our class, alas, led to a series of tragedies that would shape up this game forces me to name him so. Ironically, he did not set up the class in universe 2; it unfortunately had the same makeup. What he did do, though, was end the Future Foundation prematurely. This allowed certain documents to be obtained by a certain Sheena Midoriko after he left, causing the second game. To think my collaborator outside the game is only here because of his choice to be in universe 1 could also be considered a sin of his... Tragic, isn't it?


	41. Another Episode: Kotoko's Sin

Author's Note: This chapter contains exceedingly uncomfortable content ala one of Kotoko's motivations. While nothing gets incredibly detailed, the scene itself is hard to read for even the author. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. It gets REAL. And bad. But what do you expect when it's from Kotoko's demon hunts?

 **Another Episode 2: Kotoko's Sin**

Shinji's newest objective: recruit the eighteen students for Class B, his class's designation.

To start with, he would be getting two in one.

He had traveled all the way to a run down small town in southern Sakhalin. Near the ruins of the haunting and abandoned school lived two young men. The Archaeologist and the Academic Prodigy.

Finding an old house, Shinji approached the front door. Taka Suzuha answered when he knocked gently.

"H-hello?" Taka sounded skittish, like a child with his hand in the cookie jar or a fat orange cat who knows way better than to tear up the only god damn roll of toilet paper in the house and then hide in a little cubby like the fat little bastard he is.

Shinji asked, "Taka Suzuha, Ultimate Academic Prodigy. I've come to inquire the status. I'm the one setting your class up."

Taka nodded knowingly, "Oh, I... I see. I'm actually... surprised you showed. I thought it was a cruel prank or something."

"A prank? Why is that?" Shinji was concerned now, looking at the dark rings under Taka's eyes.

"Well, I wasn't particularly well-liked in school..."| Taka said in a hushed whisper.

Shinji chuckled, "Well, what Ultimate is appreciated before Hope's Peak..." Shaking his head, he focused on why he was there, "I know Hope's Peak might sound intimidating. Especially with all that happened, but... It both destroyed the world and helped save it. We want you to be part of that future."

Taka shook his head, "I don't deserve the chance, honestly."

"Don't misunderstand. I know your story." Shinji glared at him, cutting through the cover he masked himself in, "I know why that school is closed now. And I know that I'd have done what you did barehanded. Trust me, we've seen and dealt with worse. I'm not in the business of you throwing away your future. If you come, you can make up for it."

"But... But..." Taka stumbled over his own words, "If you know, then-"

Shinji knelt down to his level, "I married a girl who did far worse than you could imagine. She was Ultimate Despair, once."

Taka stepped back, his jaw hanging, "A-are you serious?"

"You get it, right? So take this seriously already..." Shinji urged him, "I have seventeen more people to gather for your class. Good people, mostly. This is your chance for a relatively normal school life. Take it, kid."

"-F-fine... I'll go."

Shinji nodded, "Good. It'll do you wonders, a fresh take on life."

...

Kotoko was sitting in her room, the invitation on the floor in front of her. She had a DVD player and footage given to her by Monaca. She was debating watching it or not.

...

Next was Ryoji Iwasaki. Shinji was standing outside of a freezing cold house north of town when a voice startled the Romantic.

"If you're looking for me for Hope's Peak, I'm in," Ryoji said, staring at him from under his hat, "There's nothing left for me here."

"You wanted a normal life after the allegations, right?" Ryoji started sweating as Shinji ignored him and kept speaking, "I understand your past. I also know you didn't do it. Trust me, your classmates won't know anything about what you did. Although you'll be attending with one Taka Suzuha."

Ryoji nodded, "I remember him, yeah. At least someone there will recognize me."

Shinji grunted, "Sometimes it makes things so much harder..." Shaking his head to erase the dark thoughts, Shinji moved towards the bus, "Come on, then. We have to go to Sapporo now."

...

Kotoko glanced at the DVD in her hands. Footage of the Towa City Hospital incident... Kotoko barely remembered the events of her crimes. She had worked... so hard to push them out.

 _Oh, right. Monaca-chan here... I may have narrated a bit here and there in this, to interpret the footage. Once again, for security purposes._

...

These next two would be the hardest sell yet. A dancer and a cartographer both.

Walking into a bar, Shinji glanced at the two girls sitting with no one around them for several meters. That's them. "Mario" Nobutsuna and Akira Sanada, the toughest bitches to ever earn the c word in a PG rated film.

"Yo." Shinji casually spoke to the vipers in their den.

"You here from that academy?" Mario spoke crassly, "No thanks."

Shinji smirked evilly, "Would be a shame if every hard ass worldwide knew the truth, Maria."

Maria glared at him, standing up, hand raised to smash his face in, "I'll end you right now!"

"This school offers much for your journey. Experience, knowledge, and more." Shinji recited the tired old spiel, knowing it would be as effective as a screen on a submarine window.

"Yeah, don't care," Akira shrugged.

Shinji decided to be the bad guy for once, "I have proof you killed Genji. You might lose custody of Yusuke if that evidence came to light through other means, Hope's Peak would make sure that wouldn't happen."

Akira growled, "Is that a threat?"

"If you want it to be. I don't care," Shinji shot back at her with her own words.

Maria sighed, "I can't deal with horny guys across the world. If one more grabs my ass, I'll turn that place into a fourth-world country..."

"I would need someone to watch Yusuke," Akira stated.

Shinji nodded, "I have someone great with kids. Even mine. A tutor. She's great."

Akira warily agreed, "I'll have to meet her first. If it checks out and Yusuke likes her, I'll consider it.

Shinji sighed in relief. He expected at least a bar fight.

...

Kotoko hesitantly placed the DVD into the player and was greeted with a screen title. Kotoko's First Motivation. She reached for the remote, but considered just shutting the machine off before the pain returned.

...

Next up was Hiro Satoru.

His house looked unclean, as if not washed or painted in a few years.

Hiro answered the door with a gruff, angry expression, "What!? Oh... it's you. Thought it was the cops again."

"So have you decided?" Shinji asked.

Hiro grabbed his gear and walked to the bus, "Yeah... It's the only way I can achieve my dream now. It might be too late for someone, but... I have to at least impress Uncle Kariya."

Shinji thanked the lord some people were easier to get a grasp on and headed down to Hakodate, the last stop in Hokkaido.

...

The footage focused in on the Towa City hospital, the one we just survived. Monaca's voice echoed, "Just so you know, Kotoko, I had these machines back then. They were for observing you four. I couldn't just let you guys wander without some kind of leash. Leaving you to take charge of our kids would be akin to leaving horses in charge of dogs. Just silly, riiight?"

A man with a goofy face charged to the door with an older couple at his side; an older gentleman with a walking cane and his aged wife, struggling to keep pace. That man was my father; Goro Himura.

Goro reached the door and banged on it several times, "Hey, is anyone inside!? Please! We need medical attention!"

The door opened slightly and a nurse glanced out, "A-are you sure? This place isn't... that much better off."

"I don't care! I won't let more people die on my watch!" The nurse, taken aback by his attitude, opened the door, her red eyes giving him pause, "And who might you be?"

The nurse smiled gently, "I gathered as many s-survivors as I c-could..." She let the three adults inside, "I'm a really talented nurse, or so s-some p-people say... I don't see it." Goro took note of her wild black hair, some strands bent at odd angles. She wiped her chin of residue saliva and shook her head excitedly, "I'll d-do my best!"

Goro walked the elderly couple to a nearby bench, "You should be safe here..."

He turned and the nurse asked, "Help me... I need to b-barricade the door..."

Nodding, the two set about that, "May I have your name, miss?"

"Just c-call me... M-mikan..." The poor girl stuttered. She looked absolutely frightened.

From outside, Kotoko stood atop her robot on a smaller building overlooking the front, "She trapped them inside like I asked. Now, to lure them upstairs..."

The plan was simple; seal off most of the doors on the upper floors, send in Monokumas to force them upstairs, and then finish the stragglers off herself. Kotoko smiled to herself, one fang pointing out, "A perfect plan from an adorbs mascot, of course!"

...

Kojiro Keigo and Honoka Asai being together at a signing for her newest title, Tentacle Terrors 2 was the least expected thing for Shinji Kizami. He didn't know whether to laugh, to curse in surprise, or to have her sign a copy for Nari when he gets home.

"On time," Kojiro remarked, "I've already discussed it with my team. I'm honored to attend."

Shinji turned his attention to Honoka, still signing away, "It won't prevent me from doing my job, and I heard some really cute girls will be there."

Shinji rolled his eyes, "They're adorbs, I promise."

"Perfect material," Honoka nodded to herself, "Give me a few minutes to pack my things."

"Oh, can you sign this? A... "friend" of mine wants it. Nari Kawasaki, if you could sign that out to her..." Shinji asked, awkwardly, glaring at the teenage girls and older gentlemen in line for the game to dare say a word or he'd crush their balls and ovaries in a single punch.

Honoka smiled excitedly, "My old tutor!? She wants my games!?"

Shinji realized, "Oh, now I get it... She's the one who ruined you."

"Rude..." Honoka pouted, "She inspired me to become an Ultimate... I care about her... I'm glad to hear she's fine... Wait, when you said friend... Are you giving her the old pipe?"

"What!?" Shinji exclaimed in shock.

"She has habits for this," Kojiro groaned, "Asked me if I was giving my old secretary that, too..."

Honoka snickered, "A hot blonde police secretary? How could you not pound her on your desk?"

Kojiro adjusted his hat, "Don't forget the handcuffs..."

Shinji wondered if Kojiro was in as much pain as he was over this conversation, "Yeah, I'm waiting on the bus. Thanks for the sig. I'll bring Nari by later to say hello."

...

"All the doors upstairs have too much damage," Goro reported to the elderly couple, Mikan, and Natsuki, a fourteen year old girl who watched Monokumas disembowel her family. She was mute now, not talking to or acknowledging the others at all.

That was when the front door broke in and a smiling girl waltzed inside, clutching a gun, the end of it smoking, with dentures loaded in it, "My my my, we got ourselves a demon infestation!"

"What!?" Goro put himself in between the others, "Sir, take your wife and the girl. Run!"

The trio ran upstairs, leaving Goro and Kotoko behind, "Oh, you don't know? Well, I'm the L'il Ultimate Drama!" She posed like a magical girl, her denture gun held toward the sky much like a wand, "Kotoko Utsugi, Fighter of the Warriors of Hope!"

Goro understood what that meant, "Those kids that made the announcement. You've been killing all these adults, huh?" This was when Goro remembered his real reason for being here, "Do you remember a boy from your old class? Before you moved over your fame... Back in Asahikawa? Naoya Himura... That's his name. He... uh... had dreams."

Kotoko thought about it, her gun held to her chest as she rubbed her chin to emulate famous detectives and philosophers, "That quiet kid in the back... The one who said he knew his mom would die."

"Yeah... That's my son," Goro began explaining, "I came here to ask you something..." He moved towards her and bowed on his hands and knees, "Please... forgive my son!"

"For... what?" Kotoko was confused now. She was for all intents and purposes a monster, but she could still recognize such openly odd behaviour. A demon asking for forgiveness on behalf of his faraway child?

Goro, not looking up, answered, "His dreams haunt him, give him nightmares... One of which involved you, and what those demons did... I agree with you," Kotoko glanced down at her gun, simply processing what she was hearing, "That they are vile monsters... They deserve their fate. But look at these people!" He shouted, motioning to the sick, unable to flee victims in the hospital, "Unable to move, to run... Would you slay them for your own sense of justice? Even you can see that it's...wrong."

Gripping her denture gun harder, Kotoko spoke, "Monaca... is the only person who ever bothered to understand me... Not these demons, and certainly not some brat with dreams..." She gave Goro a smile of insanity, one of malice and vengeance, "The less the scum can run, the better! I intend to beat Masaru and prove myself to Monaca! Of course I'll take the easy kills!"

Snapping her fingers, Monokumas ruished in and began assaulting the hospital survivors.

All except the nurse, who drooled on, looking aroused, "Just as planned... This despair is... delicious!"

"Son of a..." Goro felt teeth scrape by his forearm. Kotoko stared him down over her gun, "The others... I have to stop this!"

Goro raced for the stairs on the right side, urging the people on the higher floors, if possible, to flee. He had a plan to distract Kotoko on that side while the others escaped down the left flight. It was their only chance now.

Kotoko rolled her eyes, "This will be fun..."

Mikan stepped over, still giving that same horrifying expression, "I have a suggestion, Kotoko... I think some people shouldn't just be killed. Perhaps we... can motivate them to do better?"

"That so? Just what I'd expect from the girl who loved Big Sis Junko... I'm listening..."

...

Aya Nakajima was next on Shinji's list.

She was training herself once more in the front yard of her colossal abode with a smug smirk on her face as Shinji approached, "'Bout time. What, you the Ultimate Late Arrival?"

"Haha, funny," Shinji ignored her dry attempt at humor, "I presume you're coming."

"Of course. A place to succeed, to grow, to stay in shape... I'd never miss it," Aya smirked confidently.

Shinji grimaced, "As you wish." He was distant with her, oddly.

...

Upstairs, Goro had come across three more survivors. The older couple and the mute girl were joined by two aggressive survivors, a blond man and a beautiful courtesan-like woman, and their son, Mario.

The seven of them were on the eleventh floor, having escaped the initial massacre. They were hoping against hope that Kotoko had let up, and stayed silent as best as possible.

"If only our son was here..." The older gentleman spoke, sitting on a bench in the hallway, "He'd never tolerate that whelp doing this!"

The blond man smirked, "My daughter would wipe that smug cunt's face off, swear on me wife."

"Dear... That kind of language is uncouth. Please-" His wife tried to reason with him.

"I left something for me daughters, don'cha think? Can't believe our eldest left us like that..." The man sighed, "We have two daughters, both tough in their own rights. One left us, though. Took her y'un sister to travel o'er the world."

Goro sighed, "Any reason you talk like that?"

"Kira Sanada, Ultimate...er, former Ultimate Renaissance Performer. It's an acquired talent. Traveled all over to spread the love. Spent some time in some backwater places, tis all." That name rang a bell to Goro.

"You were famous in your hey day... Even I looked up to you. Met my wife at a fair of yours..." Goro laughed before thoughts of his wife passed him by.

Mrs. Sanada remembered fondly, "My daughter and son are twins... Maria and Mario. His daughter, the one that took our sweet angel from us, is from his first marriage. A real rocky one to be sure."

Kira grinned, "My daughter Akira is a champion in the making... She's supposedly met a nice man... It would soothe my aching heart to see her bear children of her own, to understand the pain her mother went through for her sake."

"I wish her well... But I fear our lives are nigh lost," Even she dipped into the old speak now, "Wherefore art our saviors?"

"If I can just talk her down, then I-"

A voice interrupted, "Talk me down? No... I'd much prefer the _hard_ way..."

Goro's eyes glanced down the hallway to the girl, smiling and skipping towards them, "For the love of..."

"I really do like it rough. At least when you do it that way, you're honest with yourself..." Kotoko deadpanned, staring into the distance with a lost gaze, "So who wants some motivation? I have some useful reachy-grabbers for the occasion, too!"

"Run... Run!" Goro shouted to his compatriots as they headed for the stairs, "Kotoko... Please! You don't have to do this! You can be a better person!"

Kotoko stared right through him, "If a single one of those demons thought that... you might not have to die today."

...

"I would never attend with him," Kicho strongly stated her opinion.

"I would never attend with her," Narutoya spoke in tandem.

Shinji ignored them both, "Alright. I can do without you bo-"

Kicho urgently jumped on him, "No, I'll go! If he's not, I can!"

"I will not be upstaged by her," Narutoya adjusted his shades, "I must watch for shady activities."

"Suckers..." Shinji whispered, inaudible to his two newest recruits

...

Goro was on the thirteenth floor now, just in time to see a Monokuma directed by Kotoko to cut Mrs. Sanada in half, sending her flying. Her husband shouted, "Have at thee, cunt bear!"

He promptly was overwhelmed, taking many down with him. Struggling up the stairs, Goro found Mario helping the elderly couple upstairs as the girl watched on in horror.

"Come on!" Goro yelled, trying to get her to move.

The girl shook her head, not wanting to go any further.

Kotoko reached the stairs as Mario had just hidden the old couple upstairs, "Is it time for motivation and relaxation?"

"We have to go!" One last time he yelled, and when she again refused his hand, he charged upstairs cursing to himself.

Kotoko approached the girl, who backed up against the wall and slumped before her, "Aren't...you...adorbs...?" Her grin turned the girl's heart ice cold.

...

"Why the fuck isn't it working?!" Ryuu slammed his fist against his desk as he stared at a computer screen, immensely frustrated

Shinji quipped, "Your dick, the program, or your bots to scam people for project money?"

Ryuu turned his computer chair to face Shinji. "The program. And those aren't mine! I tell people to stop clicking on them, I don't hand out free johnPhones!"

"Or easy jobs from home? Then again, any free jobs from you would be cancer-ridden..." Shinji savagely remarked, "Why be in a dark room at home when we have perfectly dark rooms in the academy, right?"

"Well, I guess I might as well." Ryuu shut his computer down and stood up. "Either the world falls apart or Cthuugle takes over the world by the time my class graduates. Any bets?"

Shinji sighed, "I bet you'll have great memories with your friends... in Animal Crossing."

"More like Harvest Moon." Ryuu replied, sighing to himself.

...

"Your name? What is it?" Kotoko leaned over, listening to the silence, "I get it, you're scared. Of me, of the monsters... But if you don't talk, you know what might happen."

The girl's lip quivered as she struggled not to cry, "Hina... Hina Atsuke..."

Kotoko nodded, "It's okay, Hina. I'll be gentle with you..."

Hina glanced up at her, confused, until a machine grabbed her legs and slowly dragged her to a giant heart mattress, which lifted up on a metal frame attached to an engine. Cuffs entrapped her arms and legs, making her unable to do anything but struggle. She shouted in surprise and fear as several tentacle arms began reaching for and groping her, "An interesting design... I think I'll enjoy this..."

...

"An adventure!?" Shiori's eyes sparkled, "I might get a new skill and meet some great people and have a steamy school romance and then find out he was in a tryst with the teacher all along! Oh, I'm so excited to go!"

Shinji, likely thinking of the only teacher he knew, nodded, "I hope I don't get videos..."

Shiori tilted her head, "Excuse me, Sensei Kizami?"

"I am not a Sensei... Just a loser with scars physical and metaphorical... Into the bus," Shiori jumped in pure merriment, grabbing her things and jumping into the bus without a word.

...

Hina's eyes bulged as the tentacles weaved around her body, gently lowering her skirt and removing her shirt by tearing it off of her arms. Hina started crying, mouthing for Kotoko to stop.

"Stop? Don't worry, you'll grow to like it... I promise you that's a lie!" Smiling, she directed them to start caressing her body. The hands moved methodically, rhythmically, moving along her hips and thighs, caressing them gently, trying to loosen up the muscles in her lower half.

Hina was crying pretty hard now, shaking her head and shouting for help.

Kotoko laughed, "Help? No one helps around here..." Kotoko said quite sinisterly, "They just watch and enjoy... They satiate themselves on the sick, twisted perversions of others when they can't indulge themselves!"

"I didn't... Do anything!" Hina yelled

"Neither did I... These things, they just have a... mind of their own." Kotoko ignored her pleas for mercy as the hands ripped off her remaining clothing and began invading her most sensitive areas, slowly at first before picking up rhythm and increasing their... intrusive intentions.

The entire time Kotoko wondered if a child like her was experiencing catharsis, vengeance, or just arousal as she watched the scene play out, sick thoughts coming to mind of how to better put this girl to use later.

...

Sheena wouldn't even talk to Shinji. She just huffed, walked past him, and seated herself on the bus without a care in the world.

...

Hina had stopped making understandable sounds nearly an hour ago. She just laid against the bed, tongue hanging out, brain fried as the tentacles moved away from, off of, and out of her body, covered in sweat and... other bodily fluids.

Kotoko smirked, a job well done, "That...was fun. I see why they did it to me now... Watching the light in your eyes die... awakened something in me..." She smiled, ordering a Monokuma, "Take her back to base... We can use her as bait to lure demons..."

...

"I'm only going because you promised," Michi warned, "I want Lorraine before I leave."

Shinji nodded, "Yeah, I get it. Calm your tits."

Sho laughed in the background, "Haha... Calm them...? Do we have to, like, massage them? I'm game."

Michi blushed furiously, "Touch me and I'll stuff your hands down your throat!"

"She has such a way with words, man..." Sho spoke casually, like she just invited him out for dinner.

"I need a drink after this..." Shinji put a hand to his head, a migraine sprouting from his head.

...

Having laid a trap with Hina, Kotoko merrily stepped up to the other staircase, only to see the older couple and Goro trapped, as Monokumas had blockaded the stairs with their bodies. Kotoko, grinning, pressed a button.

The Monokumas erupted into explosions, destroying the stairs. Goro managed to grab the railing and hold himself up. The other two parents fell twenty stories, crumpling like broken rag dolls on the floor of the hospital.

Goro gripped the handle and leapt to the other side, hitting the floor in front of the doorway, cutting himself on the broken stairs, his one leg cracked against the damaged concrete.

Kotoko stepped back in shock, "Wow, you are determined!"

"I... couldn't save them... But I can... save my son..." Bleeding, his leg broken under him, he approached Kotoko, "Just... forgive him... Find him and forgive him and... I'll readily die."

"Why should I forgive a stranger? I intend to live in a child's paradise," Kotoko staunchly refused his request.

Goro ignored the pain, clenching his teeth, his muscles tightening, "He's a kid, too... If you mean what you say... if you cared about helping other kids... The least you could do... is give him some solace... You're even killing his only family left, his only friend! Is it that much to ask!?"

Kotoko glared at him, "Is don't touch me too much to ask!?"

...

Next up for Shinji was a total wildcard. He was a young man, one who kept to himself. Kei Sakaguchi, the Ultimate Song Producer. He was renowned in many communities for his work on Vocaloid programs and for physical artists alike.

When Shinji knocked on the door, Kei answered. His purple eyes and short blue hair made him stand out as one of the more obvious protagonists, "Hey... I'm here to-"

"I wish only to cease my suffering. Why are you insisting I go off to a school to gallivant?" The man's bass was strong, his voice hollow of inflection.

"Listen, Yugioh hero... I need you to round out our class. Got it?" Shinji ignored him. At least it was light blue; not the darker blue that befit lesser beings.

Kei sighed, "Since I wish to be alone with my music, I will humbly agree."

As he stepped inside and gathered his things, Shinji pondered if this was an act, the facade he uses to deal with strangers, or just a reject bandmate from an early 2000s punk band. Although Kei is indeed an all star...

...

Goro tried to stand but found himself unable to. He glared at Kotoko, fear filling him and urging him to run to the stairs. To try and escape somehow.

"You tried so hard and managed to get this far, but in the end, it didn't matter at all, huh, demon?" Kotoko smirked, "That's a trendy reference, right? I think referencing is positively entertaining! Connecting with others is great... Unless they're demons like you..."

"A demon is one who causes undue suffering... You fit that picture more than I ever could," With seething anger, Goro rejected her ideals, "You want a paradise for children, but when they grow, will you just kill them? In that regard, you scare me as much as corn stalks... You must be intelligent enough to know this paradise will fail eventually... And the damage you'll have caused to create it will amount to naught..."

Kotoko stepped back, aiming her gun at him, the dentures chomping in anticipation, "A moral battle is what you'll try to beat me with? Of course... Demons always use that petty morality of theirs to justify their crimes... Well, not anymore, mister demon! I'll let my power to kill you say who's right or wrong!"

Goro accepted his fate with welcome arms, "Then kill me... But forgive my son first... Promise me that."

"And if I say no?" Kotoko queried, feeling the situation was in her control now.

"Because if you can't learn to forgive, and to regret... You'll die alone like your mother did."

Kotoko fired the denture gun at Goro, clamping down on his face as he stumbled back and fell to his death, crashing onto Monokumas and sending parts everywhere as blood splattered the walls.

Walking to the rooftop, Kotoko witnessed Mario, tears in his eyes, leaping to his death, likely over the loss of his parents. Shaking her head, Kotoko began counting how many points this would all be worth. In the back of her mind, she may have considered Goro's words, but that would play no role in the Towa City event until a young girl spared her life...

...

Shinji entered the house of Naoya Himura, Ultimate Author's uncle's house, with a clear mind and low expectations. He found the young man sitting at a school desk, glancing out the window, a pad and pen in front of him. Teal pants, a flaming red shirt, black hair that hadn't seen a cut in so long it reached his shoulder blades were what Shinji noticed first.

"Naoya Himura, the Ultimate Author... I have found you," Shinji announced not to surprise the man into doing something sudden.

Naoya didn't turn to face him, continuing to stare out the window glumly, humming to himself a tune, "You had to look real hard, didn't you? Found me at my actual home... Who would have considered such a possibility?"

"You're one of those, huh?" Shinji chalked that up to his past, "I'm here recruiting. You're the second to last one. Can we go quietly?"

"I'm sure you have enough social rejects to hide out in their rooms not socializing. I bet when you started out there you were too, with that outfit..." Naoya shot back, "I don't have any interest in attending a school like Hope's Peak."

Shinji grumbled to himself, "It guarantees you a future. Certainly an author as yourself would love the boost to your career. You do enjoy your craft, yes?"

Naoya spoke calmly but with a certain edge to his tone, "I write what I want. If losers on the internet want to find solace in that, they can go ahead. Pay for my bills. But I have no interest in becoming a professional writing cunt who ends up washed up with a series of increasingly bad books eventually turned into stageplays or not finishing it to make a primetime television series instead. Or dying before I finish my one work. Or going weeks on end on cocaine-induced sessions. I prefer my mediocrity."

"I didn't want to have to do this..." Shinji regretted saying it already, "Kotoko Utsugi will be in your class."

"Letting in people like that now? No wonder you couldn't save your friends." Naoya reprimanded him. Shinji felt it sting, but he began to fear what context that was meant in, "I have some knowledge of you, of your time travel plans. That's why you have so much data on us... You think I'd be tempted by the guy who let his girlfriend die in front of him and then killed another?"

Shinji growled, "I've dealt with far worse people than a nihilist cunt in a backwater town writing stories from dreams he has. Getting on me about my past when you let mommy and daddy die is a very weak plan of attack, Master Wayne."

Naoya turned to face him, his eyes silver-tinted, "If you're so certain, I'll attend. On one condition."

"And that is?" Shinji raised his eyebrow.

"Just a special privilege. If I have to defend myself, I might use... excessive force depending on the threat and calculable losses. Am I permitted to act as I see fit?"

Shinji wondered what he meant by this, "I'm... Yeah, fine. I'll allow it. You're my responsibility, so I'll just make sure it doesn't come to that."

Naoya nodded, "Your confidence is strong, manwhore."

"As is yours, cursed child," Shinji spoke words that immediately aroused a reaction from Naoya. His eyes turned a dark shade of red, "Oh?"

...

Kotoko glanced at Shinji as he stepped inside the orphanage, "It's my turn now..."

"Yeah. And I told you already... About Monaca's cameras, the bugs... And Himura." Shinji sighed, "Monaca showed you the tape already, yes?"

"I... I'll go, but... I don't know how much use I'll be to the school," Kotoko laughed weakly, a failed attempt at showing any kind of merriment. She wanted to die right now, so much so that that thought permeated the bug attached to her wrist.

"Then to the bus..." Shinji explained, "They each have separate compartments... We'll gather you all together when we get there.."

Kotoko nodded, fearful of her peers. But the one she feared most of all... was Naoya.

 ***Memo***

Kotoko's sin was committed years ago, the oldest of them all. But in that same sense, her agreeing to partake would, as she expected, only lead to pain and heartbreak. She and her classmates would all pay dearly in their own ways, but her crime was her past, as vivid and haunting as it was.


	42. Another Episode: Narutoya's Sin

**Another Episode 3: Narutoya's Sin**

The class had been brought to just outside the gates of the esteemed academy as Shinji stepped out first for role call and introductions. This would be a particularly telling moment for how well the class would settle in.

He had already decided to introduce them in the order they were recruited. Taka stepped out first, still a little shaky on the ground. "This is the Academy, huh...?" He glanced around at the campus and the gates blocking his entry, "This place used to be such a horrible place."

"I won't say the execs didn't deserve what Junko did... Too bad the rest of the world had to suffer, too." Shinji thought to himself how little those idiots had actually considered their own uselessness? Ultimates had no need for such trash to run their school for them.

"Taka, huh?" Ryoji was next out, "Figures you'd be an Ultimate with your grades."

Taka bit his lip, unable to reply to him. Of course, Shinji knew the context here. If Taka ever learned how Ryoji had betrayed him, this would be much worse.

"I'm surprised you're alive..." Taka's tone took a stark turn, "You should have died with the rest of our schoolmates."

Ryoji noticed the aggression there, "Like you, I had some family matter to deal with. Namely, my mother."

Taka mumbled to himself, "Convenient, wasn't it?"

Maria and Akira entered the grounds next, "Beta males. Figures..." Maria immediately dismissed her future classmates with ease.

"Betas don't actually exist," Taka remarked, "The guy who discovered that rescinded his ideas, after all."

"Losers, then," Akira spoke with a deadly look in her eye, reminding Taka and Ryoji of a monster or a mafia boss, "Can people like _you_ really have talent?"

Shinji intervened, "Should someone like you talk in that way?" Akira shifted her hawk-like stare, "They have homes and families. You don't have either."

Akira stepped forward, "You want to say that again!?"

"Unless you count Yusuke. Should I say more?" Shinji growled, "Stay in line, Sanada. I can and will hit a girl."

Akira took that as a challenge and charged for him. She moved nimbly, her feet gracefully carrying her to her target. She lunged for Shinji, who ever so casually sidestepped her, launching a fist into her stomach and sending her to the ground in a coughing fit.

"Akira... You bastard!" Maria decided to bull rush him as well, but the ever-smirking Shinji effortlessly backflipped over her and kicked her exposed back. Maria flew into the dirt and scraped through it until her body stopped, just beside Akira's.

Shinji chuckled, "That enough of a point proven? If we had more time I'd oblige, but I have a schedule to keep."

And with that, Akira and Maria settled in place next to the other two in an angry silence.

Hiro stepped off next, carrying all of his gear on his back, surprising the others, "Hey. Name's Hiro Satoru. I'm that cool guy you have to know by now."

"Yeah, the one who kills homeless people," Akira responded with considerable aggression, "Will we be safe around you?"

"You'd have to go pretty far for me to consider killing you," Hiro answered honestly.

Shinji countered, "And if you did, that would be a fatal mistake on your part."

Hiro sighed, "Sheesh. Calm down, man."

Kojiro left alone, not wanting to be brought in with the next girl for obvious reasons, "Hello, everyone. Kojiro Keigo, Ultimate Policeman, at your service."

"Why not police officer? Why policeman?" Maria asked, somewhat curious.

Ryoji wondered, "Personal preference, I guess?"

Maria looked around, "Did someone say something?" Ryoji shrunk back.

"Ooh~" Honoka reveled in meeting the others, "Only two other girls so far, but they look fit. This should be a... learning experience for me."

"Touch me and I'll bite you," Maria threatened.

Honoka smirked, "I wouldn't mind that."

Akira's eyes widened, "Okay, you stay away from her. I'm not trusting that for a second."

"Aw, but mysterious blonde chiiiick..." Honoka pouted.

"Denied," Akira reinforced her stance with no hesitation.

Honoka sighed, "Fine. I'll go after the short dudes, then."

"I'm not short!" Ryoji shouted back, annoyed.

"On brain power, perhaps," Taka quipped.

Shinji wondered; did Taka already know? Would that explain the antagonism there? I mean, it makes sense. Taka would have been involved in the investigation. If he got ahold of Ryoji's testimony, then...

"Stop right there, pervert!" Aya jumped out after her, "Don't just give in to carnal desires!"

"Oh?" Honoka approached her, "Dark skin, tight bod. You'd be fun to corrupt."

Blushing, Aya pushed her back, "Absolutely not! Sins of the flesh are not for high schoolers to enjoy!"

Akira whispered to Maria, "Five bucks she's pregnant by prom."

"I lost a bet on you, already," Maria replied back in hushed tones.

Shinji wanted a drink right now. The look on his face, the thousand-yard stare, could tell more than words could.

Kicho ignored her companion, "Kicho Taika present, Ultimate Store Manager. A pleasure to meet you all."

Honoka grinned and shook her hand, "Maybe it could be more pleasurable by the end."

"I'm sorry?" Kicho was lost.

Narutoya ignored his companion and walked to join the others, not wanting to speak.

"Oh, look, an antisocial Japanese teenage boy. That's not a description for most herbivores that attend school nowadays." Honoka remarked.

Taka glanced over, "He doesn't look that bad."

Honoka pointed to the young man fresh off the bus, laptop in hand, "He does." She grinned, "Are you an Ultimate or just a fan of my work?"

"Ultimate. Who are you and why do I care?" Ryuu growled back at the intrusive presence.

"A better game developer. Honoka Asai," Honoka gave him a snarky clap back, "No, really, it's nice to see a person like you actually do something substantial with your life. Distracts you from those lonely nights."

"Is that right? Well, it's better to do something to make other people happy than to just waste away as a leech, isn't it?" Shrugging her comment off, he held his hand out to her. "Ryuu Nomoya. I'm sure we'll get along just fine if this is the tone we're setting."

Honoka grinned, "Would you be hoping to kiss and make up?" She held out her hand, and Ryuu tilted his head as he shook hands for the first time in years, "It's sweat, idiot. Can't you feel how hot it is?" True to her words, the others were sweating a bit themselves under the flaring sun.

"Hmm." Ryuu pulled his hand away (and wiped the sweat off on his sleeve or in his pocket) "Well, it would have been nice if that were the case, but we should probably save that for once we got to know each other a bit more. I haven't even bought you dinner yet." Ryuu smirked, "Or are you the kind to skip that kind of foreplay?"

"Over Tamiko already?" Honoka smiled, a knowing smile that only a horribly out-of-place person might have in this situation.

Ryuu went dead silent as his face went blank, staring at her.

Ryoji butted in on the delicate topic with all the gentleness of a movie producer overseeing child actresses, "Tamiko? You have a girlfriend, dude?"

"... Had." Ryuu simply said that one word and walked away, going under the shadow of the school.

Frowning, Honoka cursed under her breath, "Thanks for that, Ryoji... Way to make that go worse than I wanted..."

Shiori jumped off of the bus in an excited mad dash, "Hey, guys! It's me, Shiori! Shiori Tojiko, Ultimate Meteorologist at your service!"

"She's cute..." Ryoji whispered under his breath.

"Hope her grades are good," Taka sneered as she ran over and excitedly talked about her life story.

Noticing Ryuu in the shadows, she approached him, "Hey, are you okay?"

Ryuu didn't notice her until she spoke, stirring him back to reality. "Ah..." He shook his head "You... don't need to worry about me... Go meet the others..."

Shiori slumped forward in defeat, "O-Okay..."

"Sorry..." Ryuu looked down, feeling worse for having made her sad as well.

Next off was Sheena, who glared at Shinji before joining the others unceremoniously, not opening her mouth once.

"Don't be maaad..." Sho walked off after Michi stormed ahead, a blushing face and a glare making its mark on the others, "I called your body beautiful, didn't I?"

Michi turned back, annoyed, "The only thing I'll hold against you is your idiocy!"

Sho snorted, "You said it! Hahaha! She said it, guys!"

Kei stepped off next, donning his dead soulless husk dressed like a gothic villain look, "If you're loud enough to disturb me with headphones on, you're too damn irritating!"

"Oh, music boy... We should collab... Your music, my lyrics?" Sho offered, a tongue in cheek joke.

"I'm sure some asshole with a camera has beaten us to the punchline," Kei rejected his idea quite handily.

Akira took out her flask and drunk from it. Halfway through, Shinji stole it and chugged some down before handing it over, "Sorry... It's been all day with this."

Naoya stepped off of the bus next and summarily avoided the others, outright dodging Shiori's questions thrown at him with such a passive stance that the others soon coaxed her into dropping it altogether.

Finally, Kotoko stepped off with a fake smile and when she noticed Naoya, she played it off, "Hey, guys. Kotoko Utsugi, Ultimate Actress here. Anyone miss me?"

Shinji shook his head, "Now that the gang's here, I need to elect a class representative. Contrary to previous standards, they are the will of the group. I want a true leader who can hold you all to our strict rules. Narutoya, you're my first option. What say you?"

"Is this because of my talent?" Narutoya glared at him.

Kicho scoffed, "As if an Ultimate Telemarketer could lead us."

Shinji knowingly smirked, "Well, Nobunaga? Will you accept being chosen by me? I may not be God, but..."

Narutoya offered a second option, "Surely someone more sociable would be a much better fit. Like that lewd girl or the stoner..."

"Narutoya, I only ask you because I expect you can do great-"

"There is nothing great about a traitor leading a group based on trust," Narutoya shot a sideways glance at Kicho, "I said my piece."

Shinji sighed, "Alright, option two. Sho?"

"Wait, really?" Sho broke the facade to reveal his utter confusion the second choice.

Michi stepped in, "Even I would make a better option than-"

"I'd sooner trust Junko herself than you," Everyone flinched at her name, "Well, Sho?"

Sho smirked, "I guess, dude. Whatever floats your boat."

As the others settled into their rooms, Shinji called Sho away to hand him a large file.

"It's not even my birthday, man..." Sho tried to joke, but the seriousness of the details inside drew his attention, "This is like a black book. Why give me this?"

"I wanted the Ultimate Manipulator to keep you all in line," Shinji spoke brazenly, "But you'll work, too. With your silver tongue and hidden intelligence, I expect you to keep this group from imploding. I'm taking responsibility for this, so don't stress to death over it, but we have to handle their behaviour somewhat. Things might get messy, and withholding this information from the net was painful enough as it was."

Sho nodded, "My eyes only, then."

Shinji grimaced, "Betray that trust and things will deteriorate horribly. I might not even punish you; you'll be forced to watch horrible things occur before I can step in. Neither of us want that whatsoever, understand?"

"Yeah..." Sho frowned, understanding the weight of his responsibility.

...

"You want to know why I knew?" Honoka asked the person behind her as she opened the door to her room with her spare key, "Why I brought it up?"

"... That's right." Ryuu responded solemnly.

Honoka about-faced with a sexy pose, "I have to know my competition. When I heard someone else who makes games was coming, I looked him up. And working with Hayato Pepper... Oh, the tabloids theorized a lot. Her name came up. Your ex, I presume."

Ryuu didn't respond, crossing his arms at that explanation.

"I couldn't get decisive evidence on why you wanted money so badly, though. Certainly you could have fixed your relationship without it? Or... did something really bad happen?" Honoka only knew of her name and their split; why he did so, no one at his school knew. Only Hayato knew the full story, but Honoka wasn't interested in the topic enough to let him talk as he bled profusely from his mouth after she removed his lying tongue.

Not that Ryuu knew that, the way he hesitated to respond.

"... She's not my ex, for one. She's still... In the hospital. Every dime I wasn't spending on making more games was put toward helping her... Wake up..." He shook his head. "Not that anyone would care, would they? I was taking blood money whether I knew it or not. Now all I can do is hope what I put in was enough..."

Honoka glanced at the ground, unable to look at him, "So that's why Ryoji's words... I see. That... makes sense. Either way, we're alike in our tastes. Game making, right? Here's to getting along." She reached out her hand once more, "This time... for real?"

Ryuu glanced down at her hand, and paused for a moment. With some effort, he forced himself to smile, if only a little. "Yeah. For real." Ryuu took her hand in his, shaking it. "Maybe we could... Work on a project together, some day?" Ryuu offered, trying to lighten the mood.

...

Before Sho could get to his room, Michi approached him once more, "There you are... Did Shinji explain why he made someone like you lead!?"

Sho joked, "He sees in me what you do, I guess."

"W-what!? You... idiot!" Michi yelled at him, though she was blushing harder than he was.

 **Memo**

If Narutoya had just agreed to it, things wouldn't have gone the way they did. He was certainly proficient enough to keep the group together. Sho tried his hardest... Though he made one fatal error...


	43. Another Episode: Sho's Sin

**Another Episode 4: Sho's Sin**

A month had passed since the class of 83 had finally started. Things had been going pretty smoothly. Until...

...

Honoka approached Sho and Michi, talking to each other in a corner outside of the classroom hallways in the open walkways, "Hey, Sho... Where is Ryuu?"

Sho glanced over at Ryuu's empty desk and sighed, "Tamiko has gotten worse, it seems. He wasn't able to make enough money, so they're trying an emergency treatment. It... went poorly."

"Will she make it?" Honoka asked in a whisper, not wanting anyone to hear.

"No... That's why they called him in." Sho answered after a brief pause.

Honoka's eyes widened and she ran to the door, ignoring Sho's pleas for her to stop.

Left alone in the room, Michi continued their conversation, "What was I saying... Right. Lorraine. I've been doing some research independently again and, from what my sources can gather, they believe one of our classmates is the culprit."

Sho, sweating profusely now, asked, "What makes you say that?"

"We ruled out a lot of possibilities when we linked the earlier murders to high schools at first," Michi explained confidently, "The targets were all sexual predators, but none of the faculty knew the truth. Only the students would be privy to the direct information. And of course, when files came out condemning more faculty members that certain... corrupt police tried to cover up, they were all killed as well. As if the killer had read the documents and was waiting for official investigations to start."

Sho realized her implications, "And when they didn't, the killer learned who was complying with the crimes. Sh-They tricked the police on the crime ring's payroll to out themselves. Brilliant strategy."

"And bold. Far too bold to fit the descriptions of other alleged serial killers," Michi continued, "A person of such exceptional talent must have knowledge of criminal patterns and police activities, correct?"

"Why are you still researching this? The killer only murders monsters, right? Do they need to be caught?" Sho argued.

Michi shook her head, "Silly Sho... Criminals are criminals. And my reputation would flourish with this. I could retire and turn my attention to..." Michi ran her hand over Sho's, "Other pursuits."

Sho raised an eyebrow at her, "And why are you bringing this up to me?"

"Shinji wanted you to lead us. I presume he debriefed you on the rest of us, correct?" Sho avoided her confident gaze, "Exactly. I have my suspicions... It must be Kojiro, yes?"

"I'm not going to theorize with you," Sho shot back, "Just let this go!" Sho's yelling caught Michi off guard, "Don't you get it!? Life isn't just full of mysteries you always have to solve!? Have you ever wondered why I'm your only friend here!? Huh!?"

Michi shouted back, "Who needs friends when you have the truth!?"

Sho, unable to control his anger any longer, replied with a shout, "Then you don't need me either! See if your truth can fill that empty void of a person you are!"

"That...you... Why...? Why would you say that...?" A tear ran down Michi's right cheek.

"Because you're selfish. What, will you sell them out? Ruin their life? Get them kicked out? Take their job, their future, their very life? For fame? For money? For... me?" Sho spat at the ground, "Don't do it for my sake. I know I'd never do that, for you or anything."

Michi, crying harder now, shouted once more, "My goal isn't to ruin their life! I just... What is so wrong with revealing the truth!? Don't the grieving families of the deceased deserve closure!?"

Sho disregarded her weak argument, "Don't the victims of those monsters count more? They were only saved when those freaks were gutted in their own houses. No one else saved them or helped them. Where the fuck were you when they needed you!? You could have sold those bastards out when they were still alive!"

"No one would publish my work if I targeted government officials, dumbass!" Michi's eyes widened when she realized what she had said.

"There it is. Fuck the victims if I get recognition... This is over." Sho turned away from her, "Enjoy being alone."

...

In the bright autumn sky, two students traipsed through the marketplace, one looking noticeably less joyous.

Taka sighed, shaking his head, "Why do I have to carry your things?" Kicho ignored him, still humming to herself and checking out clothes, "Do I even make noise now?"

"Of course," Kicho responded, amused, "Just say something significant and you'll get a reply."

"I don't have to help you," Taka reminded her.

Kicho stopped for a moment, "You have a point. But you know how I am, so why?"

Taka shrugged after finding himself at a loss for words, "Kindness, I guess... And you can stand my presence, so..."

"Don't let the others wear on you," Kicho tried to reassure in her own way, "They're just as pitiful."

"That's... Uh..." _How do you respond to that?_

...

Kojiro furrowed his brow at the young girl who had tailed him into the city, "Why? Just... What did I do for God to leave me with you?"

Shiori frowned at his distant demeanor, "What!? I'm not a divine punishment!"

"Right... Not even Old Testament God would be so cruel... What's your deal, kid?"

"I'm not a child. We're the same age," Shiori argued, "Is it wrong to be interested in your field?"

Kojiro sighed, "It's not like I think you're not able to. It's... dangerous work. What would happen if you got hurt because of me?"

Shiori tilted her head, "Aren't I just a classmate of yours?"

"Perhaps..." Kojiro bit his lip, "You remind me of a childhood friend of mine, that's all. We played cops and robbers, and she..." Stopping himself short, Kojiro grimaced, "Enough. You're not to follow anymore, understood?"

"But Kojiro-" Shiori tried to argue.

Kojiro cut her off, "I said no." Ending on that sharp refusal, Kojiro turned and left the alleyway in a huff, having lost his target.

...

Kei glanced around his room, filled with numerous instruments. Smiling in pride, he turned to his electric keyboard and the program behind it, "...Is the world ready for another hit?" Glancing at a picture of a young girl holding a puppy, Kei solemnly nodded. "This one's for you, Rin."

...

Naoya surveyed the school area from his perch, sitting atop the roof's stairwell, able to see over the metal fence used to prevent accidents and suicides. _Sad to have to install those at every school, isn't it?_

Naoya had one thing going for him. He was too apathetic to try.

"Himura-san?" Naoya glanced behind him to see Kotoko, holding a bento lunch box in each hand, "Hiding up here again? It's an off day."

"Why go anywhere?" Naoya replied without a care, "Attending this school doesn't mean I'm worth any more to others than I did back home. And if the locals hear too much, about the stories... Well, I might even be driven out as a witch." He laughed at the thought. A kid who can dream of things that come a witch? If he could choose what he dreamt, he'd still have his parents.

Kotoko jumped up and dropped the boxes on the edge before climbing up and holding one out, "Come on, eat."

Reluctantly, Naoya took it from her hands and the chopsticks she had placed into her palm as well, "It's been a month already."

"I didn't find you at first. Took a few days before Ryoji saw you slinking up here," Kotoko remarked as she opened up the box and felt the warmth from the fresh rice and meat flow into her nostrils, "Not eating at lunch was bad for you, so of course I-"

"Why have you taken to me of all people, Warrior of Hope?" Naoya had been pondering this notion for long enough. He demanded answers, "Would you even remember me?"

Kotoko hesitated, trying to force herself to say it. When she found she couldn't, she talked about a lesser matter, "Do you mean when we were classmates?"

Naoya felt himself tense up, "You know the stories of my dreams, right?" Kotoko nodded, "Well, I had a dream about you... too."

"...What?" Kotoko dropped her chopsticks into her meal, "...You're kidding..."

"Crazy, right?" Naoya continued on, "What could I have said, to you or to the adults? With how everything turned out, I might have just endangered you... That's what I like to think, but..." He placed the box onto the ground, "I hurt you. Letting that go... Not pursuing you... It haunts me as much as my parents, really..." Naoya couldn't feel the tear roll down his face as he spoke. His body had grown numb, but his heart couldn't contain itself, "I know the stories of what you are... The tales of the Fighter of the Warriors of Hope."

Kotoko sat there, transfixed on his face, his words.

Naoya decided to open up finally, "I came to see you... Otherwise, I'd be at home living an Ultimate-less life. I can't force myself to play nice... It's like I'm lying to them... I don't belong here." Opening one eye and smiling slightly, he added, "Sound familiar to you?"

"How?" Kotoko stopped herself, "Right. You've been labeled an outcast yourself, correct?"

"I have suspicions myself. Why only you are in our class and not the other Warriors," Naoya theorized aloud, "They wanted us together, I feel. Because of our shared past. And from what I've been reading and listening up on, we have more ties amongst us. Taka and Ryoji attended a school that was wiped out. Akira and Maria have ties to a self-defense case. Honoka's name was dropped in another that Shiori was wrapped up in... It's all too convenient. Like we've been placed together for ulterior motives."

Kotoko thought about it for a moment, "Just because it's... A few connections don't..." It was weird, wasn't it? Shinji's treatment of them, his wary attitude, only added to the possibility that something strange was happening.

Naoya began eating anew, "But for now... I've said my piece. If you want to hate me, shoot for the stars. We're high up. Just get some alcohol and say we had some rooftop drinking..."

Kotoko glanced at him as he smiled, hoping dark humor would win her favor, "Too obvious. A heart attack would be better."

"Oh. I see," Naoya grinned, "Confessions don't work on me."

...

Ryoji wiped his brow, desperate to catch his breath as Aya and Hiro battled for control of the ball on the field. Since their other goalie was on personal affairs, he had to handle both demons.

Ryoji had offered to go with Ryuu, but...

"This is my past," Ryuu had said, "I'll be back... I promise."

This distracted Ryoji enough to not notice the ball slam into his chest and knock him unconscious.

Ryoji woke slowly, his eyes fluttering as a familiar face gave him a guilty smile, "There you are... Sorry. Hiro nearly made the shot, but I stole it," Sticking her tongue out and winking, Aya placed a cold compress on Ryoji's head, "I've been doing hot and cold... Are you feeling better yet?"

"Can you let Ryuu and I play next time...?" Ryoji asked, his voice a croaking whisper.

"Sure... If you can get it past me, maybe I'll give you a reward." She winked again before heading to the doorway, "Nurse... He's awake. Yeah, I've been switching them... Okay, I'll do that."

Ryoji asked, a grin forming, "What'd she say?"

Aya nodded to herself, "He'll take care of you for now. I'll see you tomorrow at class, okay?"

"Yeah..." As Aya left, Ryoji felt his heart skip a beat. She was cute, fit, confident... and hit like a mack truck. He'd have to make sure not to break her heart.

...

Akira grabbed the young student's collar and slammed him against the locker, "Catcall me again and I'll feed you your own testicles!"

The man nodded, crying as she twisted his arm, pleading with his eyes.

"Get lost," Akira dropped him to the linoleum floor and sneered when Shinji approached, "Not you, again."

Shinji sighed, "Don't quote me. Do you have a mental deficiency that prevents you from not assaulting people?"  
Akira chuckled at his jab, "Being a survivor of assault tends to leave you with a short fuse. Wouldn't you crack if the Grave Dangers came back?"

"..." Shinji held his tongue, "Try not to damage people permanently. Ultimates that won't end the world are hard to find."

Akira noticed his tonal shift, "Yeah, sure. I ain't tryin' to-"

"Worry yourself with graduating, Sanada-san," Shinji waved her off, finding the words hard to say, "And try to loosen up."

...

Maria and Narutoya find themselves in a classroom. Narutoya erased the board while Maria sat on a desk, "Why do you play clean up? Aren't you too good for that?"

"What makes you think that?" Narutoya raised the question.

"Your general attitude, really," Maria shrugged, "And your talk. You sound all official and shit."

Narutoya rolled his eyes, "I work with people. I earned my role in society," He corrected himself, "And Kicho, too."

Maria kicked her feet up atop the desk in front of hers, "You owe that bitch somethin'?"

"She's not..." Narutoya laughed, "Well, she can be."

"So what? You love her or somethin'?" Maria poked fun at him, "Want to break that mare in?"

Narutoya adjusted his collar, blushing furiously, "How crude of you." He sighed, "Kind of."

Maria's eyes widened, "What, really?"

"Q-quiet yourself! Jeez!" Narutoya quickly exited the room as Maria gave chase.  
...

Ryuu was led into a dark room, the lights just turned off just before he arrived. The room was empty, her bed just reset. He had just missed her, unable to say goodbye before they prepared the room for a new client.

Unable to find words, Ryuu was seated in the lobby, struggling to come to terms.

"Ryuu!" Honoka charged up to him, out of breath, "Did you... Did you see her yet!?"

Ryuu could barely even lift his head to meet her gaze before letting his face fall back his eyes shut to suppress the tears, Ryuu shook his head slowly. "I... missed... her..." He forced himself to speak the truth.

Honoka's eyes widened, "Ryuu... I... I'm sorry. I... Do you want to be alone right now?"

After thinking for a moment, Ryuu slowly forced himself to stand up. "I-I think so... But... You already came all this way... If you'd walk with me back to the school, it'd... Be appreciated..."

"Sure..." Running to his side, Honoka held him close and called for a taxi to escort them back.

...

Michi studied herself in the mirror. The lines left from her crying marred her otherwise perfectly adorable face. Right?

Cursing to herself, she glanced over her files. Kojiro had to be Lorraine, right?

"That idiot. Doesn't he see the simple truths?" Michi spoke to herself softly, "Of course I want to be remembered. It's only human. If I solve the most prolific serial killer case in Japan, excluding the Despairs, I can retire. I can leave this business." She opened up a small pocketbook that had small summaries of her past cases delicately drawn, "If I post what I've found, Kojiro's life is over. But if I don't, I'm giving up on the truth."

Thoughts ran through the young woman's mind as she slammed her arm onto her desk and flung everything off, "Damnit!" Throwing her pocketbook into the mirror and shattering it, she collapsed, "Why...do I have to...?" She slapped her cheeks, "No... No! It's fine... If Sho won't support me, I'll live... I can live...without him... Of course I can!"

Jumping up to her feet, she quickly approaches her laptop, "Yeah... What will he do, try and stop me!?"

 **Memo**

Sho... How does it feel knowing how you treated the poor girl in the original timeline? Does it please you to find your words pushed her to the edge? Then again, you knew the whole truth and opted not to tell her. Had you done so, things may have gone better or worse... Who knows?  
But what *I* know is that you didn't report her behaviour. And that... was the sin you found yourself committing unknowingly.

Will the end result be worth your silence? Well, Sho... is it?


	44. Another Episode: Michi's Sin

**Another Episode 5: Michi's Sin**

"And... send!" Michi slammed her small finger onto the key that would upload her findings to the emails of her entire school, even the faculty. They had a right to know. Even as she felt her heart breaking, she took her future into her hands with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

...

The teachers had gathered in a meeting hall while Shinji stood outside, sighing to himself, "Sho... I trusted you. If this snowballs, the damage it'll cause to our new school will..."

"Kizami-Sensei..." Shinji noticed Sheena approaching him, "Is this true? You put me in a class with a murderer!?"

"He's not..." Shinji caught himself, "How did you find me?"

Sheena frowned, "Nari sold you out."

Shinji made a note to cancel their evenings together for the next month, "Why are you complaining?"

"Are you actually saying that to my face? After everything you've done, I trust you once and you-" Sheena began to rant.

"Desecrated bodies? Wait, that's you," Shinji shouted back, "You're in that class together because it's my and Sho's job that it doesn't all fall apart! Clearly, this was an awful idea... I'm just going to tell Naegi to send the lot of you home."

Sheena grabbed his arm, "Stop! Why would you do that!?"

Shinji pulled his arm free, "I'm not letting this unravel further. I demanded our 'beloved' headmaster to consider how this might end up with your pasts. But he insisted, and now I have this on my hands. An immediate public incident."

"Can't you keep the others in line at all?" Sheena pleaded, "I don't want to just go back!"  
"You're powerless here," Shinji responded crudely, "Unless you intend to charm them into cooperating?"

Sheena waved her hands about, "Look, just give it time for people to cool down, okay!? Maybe have Michi try to fix this!"

Shinji struggled to tell her off. In the end, he conceded, "I'll speak with her. And report to me if anything, and I mean anything, happens. Otherwise, I'll have to resort to more than just mass expulsion."

Gulping, Sheena nodded, struggling to find words for that ruthless promise.

...

Honoka walked away from Ryuu's room when her email flashed. Checking it, her heart stopped and she dropped her phone to the cold concrete, "Kojiro..."

...

Naoya glanced down at his phone in confusion, "Another killer...? That makes three of us..."

"What?" Kotoko looked up from her phone.

"Hmph. Kojiro's the legendary Lorraine, huh?" _What would my life be like if he could have saved Kotoko, huh? Wishful thinking at best._

Kotoko placed a hand on Naoya's, "Are you thinking about my past again?"

Naoya grinned, "Of course not. Don't make everything about you."

"Naoya..." Kotoko didn't buy it.

"This is going to be bad news," Naoya turned his phone off, "Tomorrow is going to be a train wreck."

...

Sho slammed his fist onto his table, "God dammit Michi! You had... You couldn't let it go!?"

Michi recoiled in fear, "You don't get to crush my dreams!"

"...What?"

"Maybe I'm selfish, and my dreams might be, too!" Michi spoke curtly, "But you don't get to decide if I can achieve them!"

Sho grabbed Michi and pushed her against the door, "And how many dreams have you destroyed over your job!? With your sensationalist cases and how you target killers with understandable motives... Countless people put in jail for crimes better left uncovered, self-defense cases, cases of vengeance, accidents... You never seem to target villains, do you!?"

Michi pushed Sho away, "Being sympathetic doesn't make you innocent! Being good-natured doesn't make you above the law!? How stupid are you!?"

"Well, if people like YOU protected those good-natured souls, drastic reactions wouldn't be necessary!" Sho yelled back, "Did you solve the case where my brother was murdered!? NO! You solved the fucking case where a housewife stabbed her abusive husband and framed it as a break in! Now my brother's killer is in this... Country. And you did nothing to help."

"I can't solve every case!" Michi continued to argue, "I take the hard ones because others don't want to!"

Sho punched the wall of her room so hard it shattered the Redwood into splinters, "Then I'm glad to give you a taste of your own medicine." He turned to the door, "None of them will like you. No one will love you. No one will trust you. They know they're one breaking point away from being a target."

Michi felt her anger boil, "Why would I target my friends!?"

"Because only you can, right? Because you grasp the mindset of your arrested felons so perfectly?" Sho spat in her direction, "No charges can even be filed against Kojiro because guess what? You're wrong. You fucked up the most important case ever, and the school knows that."

"What...?"

Sho laughed at her miserable expression, "Yeah, those files I got from the overseer? Tell me what's really up. And documents included prove Kojiro ain't guilty. Sucks for me I can't reveal that to anyone. So now he's going to get ostracized because of your half-baked bullshit."

Michi gasped, "What do you mean you can't show them!?"

"My goal is to keep that info under wraps and you lot under control," Sho bluntly stated, "And you ruined it all for your career. How do I fix it? By revealing the actual killer? I can't bring myself to do that..."

"But if it would help Kojiro-"

"I won't destroy another life for a trade. I won't disclose information I promised to withhold unless directed otherwise. I'm not you." Sho stepped through the doorway, "Don't talk to me anymore. I'll report you to the staff and request an expulsion if you do."

Michi watched him go before shrugging it off, "No... No, he's lying. I know it's Kojiro; it's the only option. That idiot is just bluffing! He wants to win so badly... I... I should never have fallen for a guy like that. So stubborn and stupid and..." Michi wiped away her tears from her cheek before falling to her knees and sobbing into her open palms.

 ***Memo***

Michi's many cases fell into very personal cases where convictions were hard to draw for sentimental or unexpected reasons. The Lorraine serial killings were a major concern in post-Despair Japan due to their brutal nature. Michi long suspected her coworkers and focused in on Kojiro after linking his postings to the general vicinity of the murders and rumors of him removing key evidence in several of the murders. A shame she never once considered he was merely an accomplice. Just like in your little game so far, Kojiro would come to suffer greatly because of the false beliefs Michi implanted in the rest of you.


	45. Another Episode: Honoka's Sin

**Another Episode 6: Honoka's Sin**

Sheena was the first to arrive to class the next morning. She was dead set on mitigating the newly ruined dynamics of her already robust and explosive class. The first arrival, Kei, ignored her completely and seated himself as far from the front as possible.

Several others followed, including an angry Maria and a clearly drinking Akira. Honoka walked in escorting a tired-looking Ryuu.

"Ryuu, what happened?" Ryoji asked, "Were they right? Did she...?"

Ryuu nodded, barely able to bring himself to say it, "She's gone.. All of my work and... and she died in spite of it. No, it's... Because of it."

"Don't speak that way," Naoya spoke up for once, a rarity in group settings.

"And why not?" Ryuu managed to speak back.

Naoya glanced up from his open notebook, "If she would have lived for you, she'd have died for you, right?"

Ryuu began to compute those words but was interrupted quickly.

"Right, that suicidal girl..." Maria spoke out to the others, "She finally died?"

"Do you have to say it like that?" Akira smacked her on the top of her head, "I know you're irritated, but have some tact."

Maria rubbed her head, "That hurts, Sanada-san!" Sighing, she reached a hand out to Ryuu, "I didn't mean nothin' bad, aight? I lost my brother and parents in a horrific act of terrorism... And I hold that to my chest. You're better than this."

Ryuu reluctantly took her hand, not as firmly as he would have liked, "Thanks... For understanding."

Shiori walked into the room, a hollow expression on her face, "That email..."

"Go out and say it," Narutoya spoke from the back, "I have my own questions. And here's the man I need," Sho stepped inside to find all eyes on him, "So class rep, did you know?"

Sho opened his mouth after a few seconds, "What, you believe that!?" Sho joked around in his typical tone, "Michi throws around some theories and documents and it's fact?"

Narutoya eyed him suspiciously, "What, do you know something we don't?"

"Huh?"

"What would I have been told were I to have taken the job?" Narutoya inquired further, "Why are you so quick to dismiss Michi's claims?"

Sho paused for a second and then laughed, "Isn't it obvious, dude? If it was true, he'd be arrested!"

Narutoya raised a finger, "Not necessarily. Many were wary of this school's reopening. If these allegations were held up by the school and the country as a whole, their little pet project gets the shaft." Narutoya posited with a frown, "Or you cover it up and we attend class with a killer."

"He wouldn't do that..." Shiori argued nearly in tears, "I'm with him almost every day, and he's never acted like that."

"Like it would be hard for an officer to pretend if he's also a murderer," Akira pointed out.

Shiori shook her head, "Do you trust your own classmates that little!?"

Akira rolled her eyes, "Trust is earned. I met that cop early in his career. Didn't leave an impression of a murderer but definitely had an air around him that was... different from other cops."

"Your feelings don't prove anything!"

"Yours don't either," Narutoya responded quickly, "I'm here, and my l-... And my associate Kicho is here. Our safety is of utmost importance."

Shiori balled her hands into fists, "You guys are safe, okay!? Why won't you believe me!?"

"Because the information Michi provided is pretty extensive," Kicho joined the discourse.

"...I knew Lorraine's first victim," Shiori switched tactics, "The counselor at my school. That girl..." Pointing to Honoka, she continued, "Based a character off of me. And I was ridiculed. Because she made voice samples from a conversation we had... and put it in game."

"What?" Ryuu exited his trance upon this revelation.

Honoka awkwardly adjusted her shirt, "I... Look, I didn't ask permission, and I removed the game files with her in it after. It was a horrible idea, I understand that."

"And you expected people to take sympathy for your sob story game?" Kicho laid a biting remark in the open.

"That... has nothing to do with this." Honoka gritted her teeth before relaxing herself.

Shiori took the reins once more, "I had appointments with the counselor over this. He sent me to fetch something, and I was assaulted. It was planned. And I killed the boy."

"You, a killer?" Kotoko asked, shocked, "But you're not..."

"Kojiro was the detective on duty, though we didn't speak. But he ensured I wasn't charged. He protected me..."

Naoya put the pieces together, "So that's the real reason you tag along."

Shiori nodded, "The counselor who tricked me... that man was killed by Lorraine when I was at the station. I can assure you that Kojiro was mentioned on a separate call."

"Psh. Whatever..." Maria rebounded quickly, "Lying for him doesn't mean much, kid."

"I'm not a goddamn kid!" Shiori yelled out in frustration, "I'm an Ultimate too, you stuck up cunt!"

"Uh..." Maria was taken aback in that moment.

Shiori forged ahead, "I don't care if you or Akira are a little older! Have you been preyed on!? Have you felt someone force you down and threaten to film and sell it!? Have you ever known the things Kojiro sees daily!?" Shiori approached Maria in a rush of emotions, "You don't know who I am... And you don't get to call me kid... When you've never grown up yourself!"

Maria finally took offense, "You want to talk growing up? I lived in the fuckin' streets with Akira. Scavenged for food. Lost a dear friend after my family. Living between odd jobs making maps to live... I lived as an adult long before you ever got hurt, bitch."

"Can we just... Calm down?" Sho asked in his stoner tone, "We can keep cool and just... talk to Kojiro, right?"

Michi entered the room carrying her bag proudly, "What is going on in here?"

Sho grimaced, "Like you don't know..."

"Sensing a lot of anger, Sho. What's up with that?" Narutoya latched onto that odd exchange swiftly.

"What do you expect, phone guy?" Sho responded in kind, "Some stuck up bitch posts whatever she wants, really just a theory, and then acts like it's fact."

Kicho questioned as well, "Weren't you two close?"

"It's fine," Michi answered their concerns, "I realized how Sho's not good for me. He's too concerned with Kojiro's feelings to protect you guys, that's all."

Sho stepped closer, "Bitch, I won't hesitate to demand your expulsion."

Michi put a finger to her lip with a sly grin, "That isn't guilty, suppressing free speech for a case that would damage the school's rep."

"You must be having a fucking laugh if you think I'm letting what you sent out stand," Sho aggressively continued.

"And why do you think you could expel me so easily?" Michi responded smugly, "What power do you have?"

Sho returned with a grin of his own, "Grave Dangers. That gang in Tokyo?" Hiro, Naoya, Akira, and Maria nodded in understanding, "They killed Shinji's girl." The class reacted in many different ways, but Sho focused on Michi, "The only one with damning evidence at their identities was this bitch. And the little whore chased down those documents you all have instead."

Michi's eyes widened as her nose flared and she bit her lip clean through, "How the fuck do you know that!?"

"I can do research too," Sho folded his arms, "A life wrecker like you never stood a chance."

Ryoji stepped back, "This just got really bad out of nowhere..."

"Can't we just wind back a little?" Aya pleaded with the others, "Just... talk it out and-"

Kojiro stepped into the room with a dead look on his face. He glanced over at Michi, "And we worked so well together. To think you'd post lies like tha-"

"Punk!" Maria slammed her fist into Kojiro's throat, knocking him back against the wall, "I'm onto you!"

"Good punch..." Kojiro choked out, standing up, his feet shaking, "Can I talk?"

Maria growled in anger, "I've had enough of your lies, bastard!" Decking Kojiro right in the eye and cutting his brow, she followed with a swing to his stomach, his body collapsing to his knees, "I'm not lettin' you hurt anyone!"

Shiori grabbed Maria's fist, "I said don't hurt him!"

Maria tried to shake her off, "Would you get off?" When Shiori held on tight, Maria punched her in the nose, causing blood to pour as she staggered back.

Turning back to Kojiro, Maria found Naoya standing in her way, "Damn... You, too?"

"Hate him if you want. I don't care. But you're not throwing another punch in our class. No one is," Naoya added on, directing it towards Sho, Michi, and Hiro, who himself gave Kojiro a dangerous look.

"You and what army?" Maria swung for a right hook, but Naoya grabbed it halfway, "Eh?"

Naoya asked in the deepest voice he could maintain, "And apologize to the poor girl. And Keigo-san."

Maria ripped her arm from his grip, "Like hell I-"

Naoya grabbed Maria by the chest and threw her towards the doorway. The door was still open and Maria flew through it, catching her balance in the hallway.

Naoya stepped outside and lobbed a hard left to Maria's exposed jaw, knocking her against the lockers with a loud slam.

Maria struggled to her feet, glaring at the man before her, "The fuck was that, kid? Who gave you hands?"

"Said I wouldn't allow a punch in there. But I'll lay a cartographer out right here if she doesn't apologize," Giving Maria a noticeably darker look, eyes glowing silver, Naoya made his demands.

Shiori walked up and pulled on Naoya's sleeve, "Please..." Naoya glanced back at her, "Stop... Don't hurt her over this."

Shaking his head, Naoya placed a hand on her head and rubbed her hair, "If you say so... But if she starts anything around you or Kojiro and you see me, bring me over. Understood?"

"S-sure..." Shiori stuttered, hoping her red face wasn't obvious.

His fierce glare now gone, Naoya turned for the classroom, "Control yourself, Maria. I don't like this any more than you."

Sheena watched this all unfold in horror, unable to even voice herself amidst the infighting. She felt awful, knowing now she'd be of no use to Shinji like this.

...

Sitting atop the roof, Kotoko asked her companion, "What was that?"

"Something I picked up when I was bullied," Naoya answered honestly, "People picked fights over predictions much less than yours. Even the thought I could possibly curse them was enough. They called me names often. Cursed Child and all that..."

"Oh." Kotoko struggled to say something now.

Naoya asked her, "Know what I hate? How we can't leave," Naoya pointed to the school's perimeter, "We can't take the buses around town. Kind of restricting, right?"

Kotoko nodded, biting into an onigiri, "Yesh, it cahn be..."

"Well, I inherited something from my dad. A Chevy Corvair. 1965 model, pretty rare find," Naoya proudly spoke, "Back in the day, he never used it often. City regulations and all... But if we wanted to go somewhere... I just need to get a permit for it."

Kotoko objected, "You're not old enough though, right?"

Naoya grinned, "Ah, you see, the age was dropped to sixteen. After the... incident... The business for cars was at an all time low. By dropping it two years and doubling the test intensity, they hoped to bring it back. I already have the baseline. Just need to take the full test for heavy cars and I should be able to manage."

"You... want to go outside the school that badly?" Kotoko asked in a curious tone.

"Hell no!" Naoya replied matter-of-factly, "I want to take you out."

Kotoko's eyes widened, "What... Why?"

Naoya gazed out upon the school, "Because of all the people in our class, I like you the most, Utsugi-chan."

...

"That was unreal," Ryoji wondered aloud to Aya and Hiro at their table, "Can you believe one accusation led to that kind of beatdown? I'm glad Naoya and I are friends."

Hiro agreed, "With that power, wonder why he hasn't shown off during practice?"

"He's more than ego," Aya joked, "Come on, you know how he is. Humble, 'don't worry about me' type." She added a deep voice for effect.

"Hey, I'm not just ego, either," Hiro proclaimed, "I've gotten better, right? Right?"

Ryoji laughed, "Mostly, yeah."

Hiro shrugged, "Yeah, whatever. Least I'm not making out under the bleachers!"

"W-what!? Who have you seen doing that?" Aya exclaimed, shocked that anyone would act so indecently.

"I wonder, huh?" Hiro winked at Ryoji and changed subjects, "So what are we doing... about this?"

Ryoji shrugged, "What can we do but stay out of it? We saw the victims. They kinda deserved it, didn't they?"

"No way," Aya shook her head, "Killing is wrong... Maybe if it was for survival, or to defend yourself... But hunting down and torturing people is just... sick!"

"Well... Yeah, that's true. Should their crimes really justify the worst? I mean..." Ryoji pondered that himself, "If it were to happen to one of you guys, I would..."

Hiro chuckled, "Happened to me? I look weak to you, huh?"

Ryoji backtracked, "I meant hypothetically, dude. Come on, there's people stronger than you."

"Like you could take them out," Hiro responded teasingly, "Maybe if you had a gun..."

"Ryoji... Can you promise me something?" Aya asked in a serious tone.

"What is it?" Ryoji's eyes shifted to meet her gaze.

Aya pleaded, "Promise me you won't ever kill... Even for me."

Ryoji gave her a confused look, "What? Where is this coming from?"

"Just promise me... You too, Hiro."

Hiro rolled his eyes, "No way, princess. Self-defense is my God given right!" After Aya pouted harder, Hiro groaned, "I'll try to avoid it, okay? You're too damn nefarious with that sad dog look."

Aya frowned, "What, not a puppy look?"

"Not with those melons," Hiro muttered to himself. Aya heard him anyway and slapped him, "I'm just saying puppies don't look like that."

Ryoji joked, "Honoka might disagree."

...

Kicho, Taka, and Narutoya seated themselves in the lunchroom to discuss the events of that day.

"I can't believe Kojiro was a killer," Kicho expressed shock at the revelations, "To think he once made me feel safe."

Narutoya drank from his tea cup and delicately placed it on the platter provided, "Chef Shinozaki did his best today."

"I thank you," A large imposing man covered in scars bowed, wearing a chef's outfit, small hat included, "I was once upon a time a butler."

"An Ultimate?" Taka asked, curious.

"Yoshikazu Shinozaki at your service. After returning to my family, I agreed to protect someone and found employment here," He smiled warmly, "Master Kizami ensures I don't overwork myself anymore, of course."

Narutoya raised an eyebrow, "Master Kizami? He's just a teacher, isn't he?"

Yoshikazu proudly recalled, "Au contraire, Nobunaga. Master Kizami is the leader of the New Foundation, a group of extra-specialized anti-terrorist forces. He and Master Munakata have forces worldwide exterminating any violent pockets of people. Many of the staff here like myself are reserves for this elite force."

"The former leader of the Future Foundation allied with a Remnant?" Narutoya disbelieved the ridiculous notion, "That man went crazy over them. And didn't he try to exterminate them against Tengan's will as well?"

"Who informed you of all of this?" Kicho interjected, amazed by Narutoya's information network.

Narutoya chuckled, "No reason. My contacts are that good."

Yoshikazu folded his arms, plate in his right hand pressed flat against his chest, "Master Kizami actually... Well, a friend of his died because of Munakata's policies. Shinji knows personally what Kyosuke is like. That's why he chose that man in particular for cooperating. Because of how similar they are."

"How is Shinji anything like that ragtag murder machine?" Narutoya dropped his haughty demeanor for a second.

"That is not for me to discuss," Yoshikazu smiled softly, "That is to say, both have suffered tragedy more than any should. The world is a harsh place to say the least."

Taka sighed, "No kidding. Maybe we have something in common with the man, then."

Yoshikazu decided to take his leave, "I must finish preparations for dinner. With a full staff, I have to make just one sample. Hondo's preparations are excellent, indeed. From student council president to school management, hahaha!"

Kicho stood and turned for the door, "Enough speculation for the day, gentlemen. Now we must make the most of our lives."

"Make the most...?" Taka asked, confused.

"That woman... feels bipolar at times," Narutoya sighed aloud, "Half the time, she's a sweet person with a penchant for helping, if a little princessy. But sometimes, she's a monster, and I've never learned why."

Taka shrugged, "Maybe she's got a second personality, eh?"

Narutoya stared at his reflection in his tea, "Were that true, then I... Then I made a greater mistake than I thought."

...

"I'm gonna get that bastard expelled..." Maria grumbled with a bandage covering her jawline, "Or make him leave. Give him the old beatdown!"

Akira snuck a drink from her flask, "Just leave him alone. What can he do?"

Maria bared her teeth, "Don't be naive! We've seen enough of the criminal world to know... What happens when we let things be!"

"What's that mean?"

"It means Yusuke deserves a family. He deserves his mother. And if she's in danger, I'll remove the threat myself!" Maria answered her bluntly and left the room, slamming the infirmary door behind her. Akira took another swig and heaved in exasperation.

...

Kojiro stared at the woman in the mirror preparing his bandages for him, her brown eyes and short brown hair, wearing a black and red blazier reminiscent of a student herself, "Kawasaki-Sensei..."

"Nari's fine. Using last names in a school filled with people you went to school with feels wrong," Nari joked at her own expense, "Especially when that asshole Shinji teases me."

Kojiro questioned, "Isn't that asshole-"

Nari nodded, smiling brightly in the mirror, "The man I love, I know. Don't follow my path. It's one headache after another..." Staring down at her phone screen, a photo of her with Shinji holding a small girl with brown eyes just like hers and black hair like her father's sent a jolt of joy through her system. "Except for Chihaya, of course..."

"...Should I just go home?" Kojiro asked solemnly.

"Why do you want that?" Nari replied in turn.

Kojiro chuckled to himself, "You know, don't you? The email?"

Nari rolled her eyes, "Why are these emails always making it into news, somehow?"

"She makes a great argument. I can't just say it's wrong," Kojiro glanced down at the tile floor so clean it reflected his haggard, sleep-deprived face, "If I leave myself, well... They'll think I'm guilty, but they'll leave her alone."

"Shiori, you mean?" Kojiro turned red, but the sadist teacher continued on, "We all know about how she goes after you. Shinji's kind enough to send the former fire starter after to watch you guys."

Kojiro smirked, "So I did sense another presence."

"Kizami damn well means to protect you guys. He even wanted to expel you all the second this was revealed," Nari recounts the meeting, "Said the risk of bullying and escalation was too high. I already saw Maria. That author is more than meets the eye, isn't he?"

"And I want them safe, too... That's why I..." Kojiro struggled with the decision, "But if I leave, she might... It could get worse for her."

Nari understood the feeling, "She and I are alike, you know? Bad history with assault... And we both sought to fill that void differently. She looks up to you and wants a detective's life. And I became a teacher. And they both fill the same goal."

"How do you figure?"

"To protect the innocent in different ways." Nari began bandaging Kojiro's face up as best she could manage with the irregularly shaped cuts, "I teach them skills to learn, to survive, and to understand themselves. You chase down the guilty and, with help, eliminate the rest."

Kojiro sighed, "So the school knows the truth like Sho suspects?"

Nari nodded, "We're not allowing another Incident, of course."

"Then why are... Why are so many people with questionable pasts at this school?"

"I guess it's something Shinji once told me..." Flashbacks to another Shinji killing himself with a gun play out in her mind. The horror and shock of it left her falling to her feet, clutching her chest, unable to form words. "Ultimates just invite tragedy."

As their conversation continued, Shiori walked away from the door, hand to her heart. _Knew he wasn't guilty... But then who... Who helps him?_

...

Honoka found Ryuu sitting at a desk in the computer lab, the light reflecting off of his glasses to hide his eyes.

"Ryuu?" Honoka asked, "I... I need to talk to you."

Ryuu didn't say anything, but gestured for her to sit next to him.

Honoka hesitated to speak, sitting next to him in the small but comfortable recliner in his room, "So... Uh... Have you though about where you're going from here? With the school... and Kojiro?"

Ryuu shook his head and shrugged. "... No clue..."

"Well, now's the time. I'm here to talk the options out with you and..." Honoka stopped short, "And possibly tell you my plans as well."

Ryuu stayed silent for a while, just staring at the screen in front of him, until he finally spoke. "I... Guess I'll see this to the end... It's... What she would have wanted..."

Honoka struggled to find the right words, "What do you think, then... Of all this? Are you afraid Kojiro might kill you... because of your partner?"

"... Wouldn't I be dead already, then?" Ryuu deadpanned back.

"What if they're testing the waters? What if it's even someone else? What if... they grew to like you?" Honoka questioned, adding, "Like Shiori, for example. The first murder happened near her, after all, and she had motive."

"Well... " Ryuu started to speak but paused, then turned to face her, allowing her to see his eyes were stained by tears, and he raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at..?"

Honoka gave him a sympathetic grin, "Well, would you... hate the killer? Or consider... dating them? I mean, gruesome torture aside, they sound good with their hands... Would I lose you to someone like that? Ahaha..." She trailed off awkwardly.

"H-Honoka... You're... Are you saying you...?" Ryuu trailed off, unsure of which part of her statement to question.

Honoka blushed, "I'm asking because..." She thought about it for a moment, "Because of your past. You helped a serial killer once. Basically, would you do it again? Cover for them if they were a friend? Or would you act differently?"

"I..." Ryuu paused, and looked down at his hands, thinking for a moment. "I... I don't know. On one hand what I... What Pepper did was horrible, but I..." He shook his head. "But what Lorraine did, on the other hand, was at least justified..." He sighed, shaking his head again. "I don't know... If... If it was Lorraine, maybe I would..? If I knew their intentions were good, at least... And if you're saying that..." Ryuu looked back up at Honoka, giving her a confused look.

"Murder shouldn't be justifiable," Honoka replied assertively, "Humans should be above having to resort to violence like that... Lorraine and any other killer will die and rot in hell where they belong. That's what everyone always says." She shook her head, "I'm surprised you think differently. I came here to discuss a killer and that's Shiori. Her victim... That victim was Kariya Tomozaki. That is to say, Tamiko's older brother."

Ryuu nodded. "What about her...?"

Honoka tried to explain clearly, "After he died... the students, they talked. About the murder and the counselor... And they wondered if the family knew. And it started with questions, then rumors... Then they were assaulting Kariya's sister in the bathroom." Honoka looked away, "I may have inadvertently caused... them to bully Tamiko. I think that... that's why she..."

"... I see..." Ryuu closed his eyes, looking down in thought.

"Do you... want to kill me for it? I... I'd deserve it, probably," Honoka admitted, tears forming in her eyes.

"... Why...?" Ryuu slowly stood up, and walked away from the computers. "Why should you die...? It was my fault for not being there... My fault for not helping her through it...!" Ryuu shouted out, "My fault! That I didn't shoulder the burden with her..." Having shouted his emotions out, he let out a sigh, looking down. "If I was there with her... If I just put everything aside... I could have helped her through it... I could have made them stop... I could have...! I could have tried harder..." Tears fell from his face in steady drops onto the carpet below him.

"I wish I could make it up to you, but..." Honoka shrugged, "I can't bring the dead back. It's just..." She stopped herself from speaking thoughtlessly, "That's all I meant. I... don't want you to hold it against Shiori or Kojiro over their crimes. I'm responsible for both. If I hadn't done what I did to Shiori, maybe those two would have lived normally, and Tamiko would be alive, and you'd be with her instead of spending time with... With me."

Honoka walked over to the door, "I'm... so weak. And you're much stronger than I am, toughing this out. I'll... see you tomorrow."

Ryuu was silent, bringing a hand to his eyes in an attempt to stop his tears from flowing. When he finally stopped, he looked toward Honoka, and gave her a sullen nod.

 ***Memo***

She must have considered telling Ryuu the truth that night. Perhaps things would have changed. But she didn't tell Ryuu or the others. That selfish choice made everything worse in the end. Even if Kojiro demanded for her to remain quiet to protect her like he always did...


	46. Another Episode: Sheena's Sin

**Another Episode: Sheena's Sin**

Two weeks had passed; it was a dark night as Sheena glanced over her table, eyes baggy and mind weary from constant all-nighters.

In front of her was the formerly closed casket body of Hayato Pepper, his organ-less body filled with fluids and other chemicals designed to restart the brain forcibly. She could only get single sentences from these 'things' before, but a name would be sufficient. Sheena flipped the switch and hoped the cables pinning the body to the metal table in her lab would suffice.

...

Maria glanced around the hall at the small group of students gathered around her, "And are we lettin' a killer stay here!?"

"Hell no!" One of the faceless students yelled out.

Another chimed in, "No more killers!"

"Expel the monster!"

"This is our school!"

"And if the school won't listen, we fight!" Maria raised a fist, "We won't bow to them! We know what this place once allowed... But now we take this into our hands!"

"The situation would be fine without you idiots clamoring," Shinji casually walked between the others, "We have already proved in multiple courts that Kojiro is innocent, regardless of the musings of that upstart. Now either you can disassemble peacefully or I can handle this the way you so desire."

Maria glared at Shinji with intense hatred, "Trust is earned, dammit! Even if he's innocent, the fact you hid it-"

Shinji interrupted with an irritated glare, "Then it'd be fine? That nothing like this would happen? Bullshit."

"We have the right to assemble as an expression of our feelings!" One of the protestors argued.

"And I'm allowed to enact drastic measures to anyone who breaks the barrier to violence," Shinji warned, "Don't tempt me. Not even once."

Maria scowled, "I won't forgive this, bastard."

Shinji rolled his eyes, "Maybe this seems unbecoming of a teacher, but that's what the school believed when their classes were overcome with murder and tragedy. I understand that I'm overbearing on you students... But I can't risk your lives. Please understand..."

"It's fine..." A girl with red hair, dyed black on the end, matching red eyes, a clipboard pressed against her chest and wearing a business suit approached Shinji, "Stand down, all of you."

"Missus Kizami?" The oldest student, a special Reserve class member whose parents had helped rebuild the facilities, recognized her.

"Your wife?" Maria stared at her in awe, "How'd you find anyone?"

"She found me, you could say," Shinji answered awkwardly, glancing at the ceiling as his face warmed, "I understand your concerns with the school's actions and the board is discussing how to handle this. I just... Don't let this escalate to violence. The government won't just let you students go if it comes to that."

Maria clicked her tongue, "Then why rebuild?"

Mrs. Kizami spoke up, "That foolish headmaster, obviously. When you save the world, your words tend to go a long way."

Placing a hand on her head, Shinji joked, "And if you bring it misery. Right, Shinju?"

Shinju pushed her husband's arm away, "Don't get into mischief yourself, idiot. Chihaya and Tomo won't be happy if their dad can't go a week without being given punishment night shifts."

Shinji laughed to himself, "Fine, fine... Tomo's already four now, huh?" He lost himself in the moment there, "She looks just like her grandmother. It's... hard to keep myself together when I see that face..." Turning to Maria, Shinji gave a nod, "...I have a family to protect, same as you. I'd never let Junko happen again. But balancing protecting you from a problem and from each other is... hard. So try to be civil."

Shinji and his wife departed and the group began to break up.

Maria whispered something under her breath to herself, "...Mario...Genji...Mom and...Dad..." Maria crashed her fist into the locker but the pain didn't stop the single tear rolling down her cheek.

...

"Let's just skip first period," Naoya led Kotoko by the hand to a grey car made of hard steel, two blue lines down the center running parallel over each other, the insignia of a Chevrolet displaying proudly above the top fender.

Kotoko stuttered, "B-but you said you hadn't gotten the permit yet!"

Naoya waved his hand and pulled out the license in question, "Received it yesterday! So I thought we should celebrate with a getaway!"

"What about the gate? Won't we get into trouble?" Kotoko worried aloud, glancing at the wall surrounding the school.

"Just blame me if we get caught," Naoya winked without a care in the world.

Kotoko slipped into the passenger side as Naoya opened and closed the door for her. He quickly slid in on his side and started up the car, reaching for the stick shift and preparing to head out.

Adjusting the rear view mirror and ignoring Kotoko's giggles over the pink fuzzy dice covering the grape-scented tree shaped air freshener from sight, Naoya started up the car, revved up the startlingly loud engine twice for good measure, and floored it, timing their acceleration to slip through the side gate when the gate was still closing itself after the morning bus arrived to deliver the teachers and students from the rest of town that needed less restrictions like the Ultimates had.

Speeding along, Kotoko reached for something that caught her interest in the back seat, "An acoustic guitar?"

"Yeah... My dad was into two things. Music and cars. Wanted me to learn to be a mechanic, you know? Since, unlike being a doctor, it was less stressful."

"So why this in particular?"

Naoya thought for a moment, "I thought it'd be easier to start than with an electric guitar, if I'm honest. Been trying it out. Kei actually gave me some tips for setting it up, too."

Kotoko placed a finger to Naoya's cheek, "What are you up to, mister?"

"Hey... It's no different than your artwork." Naoya countered, "I've seen you doodle when we've talked. Why do you get to sass me over this, huh?"

"Oh, is that it?" Kotoko faked an angry pout, "Mister judgemental over here is _so_ not adorbs!"

Taking the route to the main city, Naoya made a small turn down a mostly dirt road that eventually climbed up to a hill that overlooked the city. Stopping off at the top, Naoya glanced around, ensuring they were alone.

Kotoko asked with a wink, "Is this make out point? My, you're so forceful today..."

"It's a nice, quiet place," Naoya answered seriously, "You can draw in peace. I hear the sky here is beautiful. Can see the stars. I also have a picnic set up in the trunk."

"We're not just skipping first period, are we?" Kotoko asked, suspicious of his meticulous preparations.

Naoya made a spectacle of rolling his eyes to avoid her gaze, "Whaaat? Me? Never!"

Stepping out with an exaggerated princely demeanor, Naoya opened up the trunk and pulled out a sheet and two bento boxes he had worked way too hard on, knocking over a bottle of vodka over that he hadn't noticed, "Oh? Must have been dad's..."

Placing it at the bottom of the refrigerated cooler he had brought with him, Naoya grabbed the whole thing and struggled to lift it, carrying it to the small log just big enough for two and began setting up.

Kotoko noticed the log had been cut precisely, evidenced by the uniform ends on both sides, "Did you prepare the log for us, too?"

"No, actually..." Naoya scratched his hair thinking of a way to say it, "My father did. He used to bring my mom here back in the day. Not that that means anything," Naoya folded his arms, "Got it, punk?"

"Then why did you bring me here?" Kotoko queried the obvious.

Naoya smiled childishly, "It's a secret place, you know? The school won't find us here... And I know it must suck to be locked in that place. We needed to just get away, right?"

Kotoko raised her arm to her chest, "But you shouldn't bring me here... I'm just..."

"You're the closest friend I have," Naoya kept that old smile up and a flash of a young boy with that same sheepish grin flashed through Kotoko's mind, "...Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I-I'm fine," Kotoko pushed down the guilt in her mind and proceeded to seat herself next to him with an expectant look, "What'd you make?"

...

"Stop following me," Kojiro growled with contempt, "This is your last warning." Kojiro was glaring hard at the emotionally unstable girl following him down the school hallway with no one in sight.

Shiori pleaded, "But Kojiro... I want to support you, anyway I can... don't you understand that?"

Kojiro rubbed his weary eyes, "Either stop or I'll request to be admitted elsewhere."

"Why!? Why are you doing this?!" Shiori ran forward and pounded on Kojiro's chest with weak hits, "Do you hate me that much!?"

"Get off!" Kojiro knocked her to the ground, ignoring her cry of pain as she landed hard on her backside. Folding his arms and scowling further, Kojiro made himself clear, "You associate with me, you get bullied again. I refuse to be responsible for you getting hurt. I couldn't live with myself. If you want to help me... then stay away. Get it?"

Shiori pleaded as her voice cracked, "And I should watch it happen to you!?"

Kojiro grumbled, "They truthfully believe that I'm guilty. And I can't or refuse to prove otherwise. Not terribly surprising for them to react that way, is it?"

"Assaulting you isn't okay!"

"Neither is leaving them in fear of being killed," Kojiro lamented his lot, "Hiding the truth to protect someone is just as wrong, kid."

Shiori cursed aloud in various tones of fury, "Just... Tell them, then!"

Kojiro buckled up for a counterattack, "I can't, Shiori. For the sake of Lorraine's ideals, I can't bow."

:Why do their ideals even matter to you!? Do you just cover things up for them!?" When Kojiro hesitated, Shiori realized, "So you're an accomplice, then?"

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to." Shiori trailed off, looking genuinely torn, "So that's why you won't disprove the accusations."

Kojiro grinded his teeth as his brain worked overtime to craft an excuse or diversion, "I've said my piece already. Please, just respect those wishes.I want you to be safe."

Shiori slumped her shoulders, "Whoever you're covering for, you care about them more than yourself. And my feelings, as well?

"That's not fair," Kojiro replied listlessly.

"When was any of this fair, Keigo-sensei?" Shiori responded with a whisper as she finally left him to his own devices, understanding he'd never see things how she did.

...

Sheena called from her cell phone with a panicked look on her expression, "Yeah?"

"Shinji... I have bad news..." Sheena glanced at the broken cables on the empty table, "A project of mine is... loose."

"What!?" Shinji yelled so loudly that Sheena, in her surprise, dropped the phone entirely.

 ***Memo***

The details are mostly unimportant, but Sheena managed to get her hands on a newly exhumed Hayato Pepper's body. She had decided to just ask the second victim who had killed him. His body was initially unresponsive, and right when she left the room, it made its escape. Not the first time for her projects, right? Naturally, it sought out its old partner... Ryuu. Sheena's reckless actions not only endangered his life but also led to a new, more disturbing revelation for the already infighting class.


	47. Another Episode: Ryuu's Sin

**Another Episode: Ryuu's Sin**

Night had fallen as Kotoko and Naoya finished off the last of the drinks he had brought. Naoya picked up the vodka from the bottom and shook his head, "Can't believe my dad left this in the back. What would he have wanted this for?"

Kotoko eyed up the bottle in his hands, "Are you sure this isn't your master plan?"

"I can't play this thing drunk," Naoya countered, holding the guitar in his free hand, "I can't even play it sober."

"Yeah. no kidding," Kotoko teased.

Naoya set the guitar down in the trunk and moved the drinks inside, "I'm not drinking today. I don't need to feel numb..."

Kotoko took the opportunity to savage him, "You do need courage, though. You can throw a punch at Maria but you can't tell a girl you like her?"

"...What?" Naoya turned to face her, an awkward expression on his face, "You can't be serious. That side of me...It's not exactly something I can control."

"Really? Do you... want to talk about it?"

Glancing at the bottle in his hands, Naoya popped the top off and downed a swig, "...Fine."

...

A knock on the door stole Ryuu's attention. Closing his browser, he roused himself to his feet and steadily walked to the door, opening it only to find an empty hallway. A noise behind him made Ryuu realize the noise had come from his open window, and a rotting, barely standing corpse of an old enemy stood there, watching him closely.

"Ryuu..." The creature groaned as it struggled to force its voice box to work.

"What the fuck?!" Ryuu staggered back into the hallway, his eyes wide with shock and fear.

Hayato raised his bony, skeletal fingers, "The killer... A girl...Our age... Red hair...a glare to...to kill..."

A scream came from behind Ryuu as Shiori collapsed to her feet. Honoka ran past her, having been walking alongside her, to meet the familiar face in the room, "What the fuck is going on, Ryuu!?"

"The hell if I know!? I need... I need a crowbar or something!" Ryuu practically fell out of her way as Honoka moved forward, brandishing a small knife.

"You... killed...me..." Hayato choked out in a whisper, "Ryuu..." Hayato glanced to Ryuu and tried to make a smile, "Did you... save that... girl? I... was rooting...for you..."

"Dammit... I'm not... I'm not dealing with two ghosts from the past at once...! I finally started to feel like I was ready to stop grieving...!" His face a whirlwind of emotions, Ryuu looked around frantically, before running down the hall in a panicked sprint.

Honoka sighed, facing the monster, "You only die twice?"

...

"So..." Honoka asked, "Now that I'm... covered in Hayato's blood..." She frowned at the spatters on her skirt and shirt, the white being soaked through.

Ryuu mumbled, "For the second time?"

Honoka put the knife away in her pocket, "Okay, we're doing this now?"

Ryuu sighed, standing up. "When it comes blaring in our faces like that, is there a better time...?" Ryuu shook his head. "We should... probably talk somewhere else..."

"Guards are stationed all over," Honoka replied, "And they know. Shinji made it clear if I killed anyone he'd leave me like a Grave Dangers goon."

Ryuu nodded. "I see..." He leaned back against the wall. "Well, I guess here's as good as any..."

Honoka scratched behind her ear, "So, how've you been? Are you alright? Do you have dry cleaning on speed dial?"

Ryuu sighed in exasperation. "Recent... Events aside... I was feeling better. I... Guess I'm alright... And no, I don't."

"Good thing I called Shinji, then. Sheena brought him back. Guess she wanted to learn who was guilty. So Shinji burned him. Not bringing that back, right? New carpeting is on its way!" She gave him a thumbs up and stuck her tongue out to the side with a matching wink.

Ryuu gave Honoka a silent, dead stare.

Honoka didn't respond either, glancing down at her feet.

After a moment of silence, Ryuu finally broke the silence. "I don't... Hate you for it... Someone... Had to clean up... after my mistake..."

"And why didn't you?" Honoka asked, voicing a concern of hers, "Why did innocent people have to die for Tamiko!? And how can you stand here talking about forgiving me... after what you've already done!?"

"You're right. If you weren't... Under Shinji's terms. I'd let you kill me right here, on the spot. And I wouldn't blame you for a moment."

Honoka placed a hand over her head, "Idiot... So what do you think? Should I tell everyone? I mean, I'll have to leave the school. Kojiro has begged me to stay and finish my dreams, but... What's the point of making games if someone has to suffer? Certainly, you understand that... Though, if I did stay... Maria might..."

Ryuu let out a long sigh, closing his eyes in contemplation for a moment, before speaking. "It's your decision. Kojiro can probably take it. A few harsh stares and thrown punches shouldn't be anything new for him... But, well..." He shook his head. "I don't know how I'd feel about letting anyone take the fall for my sake. Not after, well... You know better than I do, don't you?" Ryuu shrugged. "I'm not going to make the decision for you. What right does someone like me have to turn you over to mob rule...?"

Honoka sighed in relief, leaning against the wall across from him, "Thanks for that, but... Well, it's hard to know what's right..." She clicked her tongue once before asking, "It feels wrong to ask why you would forgive me, so...I won't. But if I did... It's cuz I'm cute, right? You totally want to bang me, right!?"

Ryuu gave her a dumbstruck look, then facepalmed, shaking his head. "At least you have good humor about it..."

Ryoji placed a hand around his mouth before turning and running down the hallway, confused at what he had just seen. Suddenly, breaking Ryuu's Nantendo Swap he had borrowed seemed unimportant.

...

"Naoya... What happened with Maria?" Kotoko asked later that evening as Naoya strummed the guitar, "That side to you... You've kept quiet this whole time."

Naoya shifted his gaze to his hands, setting the guitar down onto the grass, "I was pretty heavily disliked as a kid for obvious reasons. Predicting the future in awful ways like an experimental camera or a moth person. More than a few times, people attacked me for it. Bullies, mourning family, the usual... One kid, Rikku Tomonashi, he was different. His sister was killed in an auto accident. One I'd foolishly tried to stop when I went to high school and thought things might finally work. This was the death I knew doomed me."

"Why?" Kotoko asked, confused.

"People have an instinct for self-defense, one I had built up. Rikku was different. Took an old hunting knife and stabbed me in the back," Naoya turned around and let Kotoko see the deep scar that remained, "Wanted to drag it out. Called me a plague. Fun stuff."

Kotoko feared to ask, "But... you lived. What happened... to him?"

Naoya breathed deeply to maintain his composure, "The darkness in me, the Tenebris... It took hold. And hence, I call it that."

"What is it, exactly?"

"My survival instinct, partly. And maybe the resentment, too," Naoya tried to word it, "Tenebris is to me what the Warriors of Hope were to you. The worst, most damaged parts of you taking hold."

Kotoko wondered aloud, "Why did Maria trigger it?"

Naoya glanced over at the empty bottle, "Emotional trigger. If something I care about is threatened, it slips out. And it's usually not pretty... I wouldn't kill Maria, mind. Now, if someone were to have killed a close person to me... Then I doubt I could control myself."

"That's how it is, huh?" She murmured in thought.

"Like you," Kotoko's confuddled expression made Naoya laugh, "If anyone hurt you, I mean. I don't... want you to die."

Kotoko felt her chest tighten, "Really?"

Naoya stumbled over and knelt before her, looking into her embarrassed face, "I... I like you, Kotoko. I was hoping we could consider this our first date and... try at love."

"N-Naoya..." Kotoko lost the words as they surfaced, "I..." _Can't. I can't accept this. I need to tell him. He'd kill me if I tell, but I can't hide it. I can't!_

"I'm serious about you," Placing his hand over hers, he smiled wide, "You've been there for me this whole time despite what I did, and what you've done. And this isn't out of pity or guilt. That may be why I befriended you, but I want you for you. We're broken, yeah... But we can be broken together, right?"

Kotoko crumbled under the weight of her overworking mind and fell into his arms willingly, "Aren't I a monster to you? Why would you choose me when our classmates are so much better!?"

Naoya grinned, "The same goes for me, right? I'm the doombringer with a dark side. I know us being together might only make us both hurt more."

Kotoko bit her lip, waiting for his follow up.

"Even so, I'm done regretting. My parents are gone, and I messed up in handling all of that. But you're here now, and I can't let you go without trying. If you want to say no, I encourage it. If you need time, just ask. Okay?" Pulling back, he put his hands on her shoulders to look into her eyes, "Sorry for the pressure."

Kotoko kissed him in that tranquil moment under the stars, surprising him with her warmth and the taste of liquor on their breaths, "Jerk."

Naoya fell back off of the log with Kotoko screeching in surprise, causing him to laugh at her angry glare, "That was cute... I kind of just want to lay here, look at the stars..."

Kotoko cuddled up to his side and pointed up, "Isn't that the North Star?"

"I think so..." Wrapping an arm around her, he grinned smugly, trying to contain himself, "...Did I leave the engine on...?"

 ***Memo***

Ryuu, the poor man. Forced to hide a second serial killer because he liked her? _How tragic._ Ryoji heard, though, and it was up to him to change our course. As for the rest of this material, it's clear to me why it's here. Tenebris's creation factors into your game right now, correct? Perhaps you appreciate the explanation. To be clear, Tenebris isn't a murderous killer, but a reaction to extreme risk. Unfortunately for you all, it's now perpetually deadly. Try not to cross him. And pay attention to whose sins aren't yet revealed, if you intend to prematurely end this 'cruel' game of ours.


	48. Another Episode: Ryoji's Sin

**Another Episode: Ryoji's Sin**

Ryoji sat in his room at the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling to ponder what he had heard. Honoka, a person he had come to somewhat trust, was actually Lorraine? Ryuu and Honoka were covering it up for her sake? Kojiro, too?

He had to tell someone. Aya? Of course. He didn't want to sell his friend out, but this was dire. Who else? Out of respect, he should invite Ryuu. And Naoya? Certainly. Ryoji planned to wait by the central gate that morning, take them to the old workshop out back, and discuss this. If Ryuu exploded on him, he'd do what any real man would do and hide in the bathroom.

...

Daylight broke as Naoya woke next to Kotoko, running a hand through his wet hair from the morning dew. "Hey, sleepy head... Wake up." Naoya chopped Kotoko lightly on the forehead.

"Owwie!" Kotoko recoiled in pain, "Naoya, what the heeeck!?"

"It's dawn. We have to get back to the school or we're screwed," Naoya spoke plainly, gathering his things. Noticing a small nick in his back tire, he sighed, "Damnit... Already? These roads are not meant for this beast."

Kotoko agreed, "It's like a war machine."

"That's an... odd comparison," Naoya shook his head, "Whatever. Come on," Opening the door on her side, he motioned for her to get inside.

Kotoko folded her arms as she seated herself inside, "So you can be a gent..."

Opening up the driver side door, Naoya hopped in, "A gentleman?"

"Y... Yeah, that," Kotoko shuddered in discomfort as Naoya pulled the clutch back into reverse and began pulling out of the parking spot and straight into an awkward silence.

...

"Aya, have you seen Ryuu or Naoya?" Ryoji asked as they waited at the front gate.

Aya looked around, standing on top of the gate, occasionally glancing back to make sure Ryoji wasn't staring, "Not yet... Wait, there he is!"

Ryuu approached the gate as Aya jumped down. Ryoji stepped forward, "You have time to talk?"

"What is it?" Ryuu asked, coming to a halt.

"This is... about you, and Honoka," Ryoji spoke up, "Oh, and your Nantendo Swap was broken. Hiro accidentally-"

"Fuck I did," Hiro spoke, glaring down at Ryoji.

Ryoji jumped, "When did you get there?!"

Hiro folded his arms, "You broke it when you tripped on the chair carrying it near the stairs."

"You threw the chair!" Ryoji yelled back.

"You've dodged cars, right? Shoulda been easy!" Hiro argued back.

Hiro left in a huff, leaving the trio.

Ryoji awkwardly laughed, "So... Ryuu?"

"Ryoji..." Ryuu glared back menacingly.

Naoya walked up to the gate with Kotoko trailing behind, "Why is there a cracked Nantendo Swap with scotch tape in the trash?"

Ryoji turned to Aya, "That was your big fix!?"

"What do I know about technology? Just ask Ryuu!" Aya retorted.

Thunder boomed as rain began to fall on the four young people as Kotoko hurried past them, running inside.

"So Ryuu... This is about Hayato... Care to take a seat in the workshop with us?" Ryoji finally got to his point.

"Hayato..? Fine... Better than out here in the rain." Ryuu nodded and went into the workshop.

...

Ryoji swiftly explained what he had heard, as Ryuu sat silently, likely waiting to create his response.

Naoya stood in the corner, holding his wet coat out to dry on a small rack for weights, "That bitch brought him back... What is it, Sheena?"

"The biologist?" Ryoji asked.

"I found out after grilling Shinji. Turns out she brought my mom back to life and ruined my childhood. Guess she brought Hayato back to grill him about the killer," Naoya explained.

Aya frowned, having gone silent when Ryoji explained what he had overheard, "Ryuu... If we're friends, why would you not tell us? Did you not trust us?"

"To be fair, it's the day after," Naoya intervened, "he may have broken eventually, or planned on it. Though with what Ryoji heard... Care to explain what you're doing here with that sixteen year old girl?"

Ryuu sighed at the situation. "Well, Mr. Hansen, I have reason to believe that I'm not the one who should be telling you guys. Also, I think I trust Shinji's threats enough that if she were a danger to us, you wouldn't be here questioning me." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts further.  
"I... Was going to try talking to her about it again. Tell her if she told everyone, I'd tell everyone I defended Pepper. I can't expect her to put herself on the line of fire if I'm not willing to do the same, can I?" Ryuu shook his head. "It's not sitting right with me for Kojiro to take all the blame and abuse, either..."

Naoya stepped closer for a moment, "Clarification before we move forward. When you say, you wouldn't be here questioning me, could you be more specific? Because it sounded like a threat or promise."

"I'm saying if she wasn't under threats from Shinji to stay in line, she probably would have killed me. I'm still surprised she even got close to me, considering I protected Pepper."

"Same here," Naoya's eyes flashed silver for just a moment, "I don't even know what to say or do with you. From my experience, you'll hate yourself more than I could ever hurt you."

"Naoya?" Aya tilted her head in curiosity.

Naoya glanced at the scars on his fingers, "Unlike you, I think the others should know. I don't care what Kojiro wants but I'm not for lying on anyone's behalf. Especially since all it got you was this mess."

Ryoji stepped in, "But if we did that, Honoka might-"

"Defend herself, probably. And worst comes to worst, we can expel her," Naoya argued back, "Not that I want that, considering what I know... Okay, I'm next. Kotoko's the Fighter from the Warriors of Hope and she killed innocents in Towa City."

Nothing clicked for anyone in that moment.

"What?" Aya nearly shouted, "What did you say!?"

Naoya glanced at Ryuu before facing her, "Kotoko killed people as a child manipulated by Junko personally. And she was supposedly reformed by Headmaster Naegi and his younger sister. Also, we're a couple."

Ryoji smiled for a moment, "Congratula-wait, you're dating a killer!?"

"So you yell about it to me but Ryuu gets a calm reasonable talk around cookies?" Naoya pointed to the cookies Aya had baked for her class that day that Ryuu was at that very moment still eating.

"That is pretty messed up." Ryuu set the cookie aside. "So, do you plan on telling everyone about Kotoko soon? Will you try to get her to tell everyone?"

Naoya looked up from his phone as he hit the mass text, "Hm?"

Ryoji picked up his vibrating phone and read it aloud, "'Yo, it's your boy, Naoya. Kotoko's a Warrior of Hope, that child killing gang from Towa City. Also, if any of you dumbasses try anything, the Darkness will take you.' Naoya, what the hell!?"

"Sorry babe." Naoya looked up after texting Kotoko individually, "What's up?"

"Well that's one way to put your money where your mouth is... What's with that 'Darkness' line though?" Ryuu asked.

Naoya eyed him carefully, "They don't know Latin," Naoya left it at that, giving no explanation like a late-game horror movie sequel.

Ryoji sighed, trying to think how to say what he meant, "Ryuu... What are you gonna do now? Want us to give you time at least?"

"We would if you asked," Naoya followed up. Aya sat there in silence, contemplating what she had just been overloaded with

Ryuu sighed. "Considering the bar... Give me 3 days to get her to talk on her own. I at least want to talk to Kojiro before I try to pull what Naoya just did..."

Naoya glanced up from his phone, "And if you don't, I'll just send a text."

"Why did you text this?!" Kotoko burst into the workshop, having heard his voice, "What did you think would happen if I was away!?"

"Kotoko, honesty is the best policy. Ryuu here knew that it's actually Honoka who masquerades as Lorraine," Kotoko stopped her angry tirade in shock, "Since I want him to be honest, I went first. And I promised to protect you, right?"

Kotoko raised a fist at him, "But why did you send the text we made to send together without me!?"

"You were gonna send it anyway, huh?" Ryoji raised an eyebrow with a sassy smirk, "So Ryuu didn't bring this on?"

"But Kojiro... He's taking the fall?" Kotoko realized.

Naoya walked over to her, "Yeah, he is. I'm going to try and help Ryuu with this, though. Now hurry to class or we'll get distracted making out again."

Kotoko slapped him on the cheek, "Naoya!"

"Honesty will set you free!" He rushed to the window and opened it, "Vive la revolution!"

Kotoko ran out the door after her companion, leaving the three friends behind, exasperated.

"He found love in a... strange place," Ryuu commented, staring at the shattered window.

Ryoji sung to himself, "He found love in a hopeful place..."

Ata stood up from her seat and headed for the door, "Come on, we have class to attend. Let's just sit on this for now, okay?"

"Okay, Aya. Whatever you say," Ryoji joked, "Can we get distracted like those two?"

Aya blushed and left the room hurriedly as Ryoji followed with a confident wink to Ryuu.

"Well, things are certainly lively, huh?" Ryuu sarcastically said as he contemplated how to break the news to Honoka or Kojiro.

 ***Memo*  
** Ryoji's intentions may have been pure, but all roads that lead to hell are usually a group effort. Telling Aya and Naoya and confronting Ryuu were all part of his plan to resolve this situation before it spiraled out of control for both Kojiro and the class. Little did he know that his actions were so counterintuitive that classmates of his would die in the end.

That's the fun part. Some of you, should you die here, are done for. Who? The ones Shinji have been locating are the ones made to watch. So if any of them don't come out, you know what happened, right...?


End file.
